Return of the Warrior
by Q6
Summary: a Ranma 1/2 story, with heavy influences from the Rorouni Kenshin anime.
1. Part 1

"Ranma! Snap out of it!"  
  
'Damn, he's never fought this hard during training before, what's wrong?' Lee continued to dodge and block the incredibly fast and deadly attacks a fourteen year old Ranma threw. Realizing that he was about to be overwhelmed by Ranma's continued strikes, Lee gambled and went for a strong counter punch.  
  
Wham!  
  
Lee slowly lowered his arm from the punch that landed on Ranma's face. As Lee started to stagger over to Ranma he noticed that the young boy was already starting to stand up. 'Woah, I put almost everything I had in that punch he should be unconscious' Lee finally closed his gaping mouth and continued to watch Ranma as the young boy seemed to be confused at his position.  
  
"What in the world just happened?" Ranma asked as he felt his throbbing cheek and seeing his ripped clothes. Lee started to answer him before stopping and looking at the hand he had been clutching against his battered ribs a moment before. "Wha..." Lee's hand was covered in blood from a deep gash in his side "I didn't even notice it...." were the last words he got out before passing out.  
  
Ranma quickly ran over to his rival to see what was wrong with him before noticing a couple of claw marks on Lee's body, especially the middle one which was way to deep for Ranma's liking.  
  
"No.... This had to have been done with the cat-fist style, and I'm the only one mastering it right now. So that means I must have done it without even being able to remember it." Ranma thought in a panic 'what's happening to me?!' ****  
  
Ranma looked over at his father-turned-panda with nervous eyes as he father looked back at him with the exact same look.  
  
"I... I just had a nightmare from the past ..."  
  
"Funny, I did as well..... It must be a sign, a bad omen!..... Boy, get some sleep I think tomorrow will be a very bad day."  
  
"You know I don't believe in that bad omen crap, 'specially since almost everyday is a bad day." Ranma retorted before trying to get back to sleep without success. 'But, I haven't dreamt about those days since I arrived here, could it really be a sign.... Feh, yeah right.'  
  
A Ranma 1/2-Rurouni Kenshin fusion Title Pending  
  
By: Q Ranma 1/2 and Rorouni Kenshin do not belong to me and are being used solely for non-profit purposes.  
  
Ranma walked to school alongside Akane and surprisingly Nabiki lost in thought, slowly being left behind by the sisters. Nabiki being the first to realize Ranma was being a lot quieter than normal glanced atop the fence. Only to find no one on it, looking backwards she spotted him staring into the canal with a faraway look.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Nabiki asked her sister.  
  
"I don't know he's been like that all morning, spacing in an out." was the answer.  
  
'This could be interesting' thought Nabiki wondering what could get Ranma this worked up.  
  
"A penny for your thoughts." Ranma snapped out of his thoughts by Nabiki's voice. "Say what?" asked Ranma not able to catch Nabiki's question.  
  
"What's bothering you?" Akane asked him, saving Nabiki from having to repeat herself.  
  
"Just thinking about a dream I had last night, it was .... never mind it was just a silly dream" with that said Ranma continued on his way to school leaving to suspicious girls behind.....  
  
Even though Ranma hoped to get Akane and Nabiki off his back about the dream, his odd behavior only fueled them on even to the point of adding Ukyo to the list of inquiring minds. Once school finally let out Ranma was cornered by the three and was 'persuaded' to have a little talk with them.  
  
"All right Saotome what's the deal with this dream and why is it scaring you so much?" never to waste precious time Nabiki beat out the other two girls in asking the million dollar question  
  
"Hey, I am not sca..."  
  
" Come on Ran-chan I can help if some dream is scaring you."  
  
"Hold on, first of all I'm not sca..."  
  
"Look Ranma, we're trying to help you out so tell us what's got you so scared."  
  
"I AM NOT SCARED!"  
  
"....."  
  
"....."  
  
"....."  
  
"I'm just a bit out of it because of a dream that reminded me of some training I took to get over my ..... fear of cats, and to master the cat- fist." Ranma finally admitted.  
  
"Was the training that bad Ran-chan?" worried Ukyo.  
  
"Well, actually most of it wasn't really that bad, I had an accident though. While mastering the cat-fist I found myself in a weird semi- conscious state of mind a lot of the time. I had to continue being in that state of mind until I could finally become fully in control of myself while using the cat-fist. However, a.... training partner of mine was sparring with me one day without any supervision and I lost what little hold over the cat-fist I had in the middle of it and almost killed him. After that I left the 'School of the Fang' and decided to stop trying to incorporate the cat-fist into my style. After all I was pretty confident that I could just get away from any cat before it was triggered."  
  
"What's this 'School of the Fang'" Nabiki's curiosity was rearing it's ugly head.  
  
"It was a school that taught the numerous 'Invincible techniques' like my Cat Fist for instance. The man I injured during my time there was probably one of the best students they ever had, he was learning the very difficult 'Serpents tongue' style." Ranma elaborated.  
  
"So I guess you had a dream about your accident." Akane finished for him.  
  
"Yeah, I'd appreciate it if you guys would let me go home and rest, I feel kinda' drained from talking about it."  
  
"Sure, I'll walk with you to the dojo." Ukyo quickly answered.  
  
"We'll walk with you home." Akane put in firmly while Nabiki just shook her head in amusement. *****  
  
On the outskirts of Nerima, a pair of martial art 'masters' were trudging off on a training trip.  
  
"Do you really think someone is coming for Ranma?" Soun asked Genma.  
  
"I'm telling you, I had a bad omen last night, it's best to let the boy deal with it on his own" 'since I probably had something to do with it, and Nodoka's going to be pissed when she finds out.' Genma replied with conviction as the two continued on the training trip to a local Shogi tournament. *****  
  
"I'm a bit suspicious about this 'training trip' my husband is on" Nodoka confessed to Kasumi.  
  
"Yes, it is rather odd for him and father to go on a training trip without being forced." Kasumi agreed while the two continued shopping.  
  
"If I didn't know better I would have sworn he had his 'something bad is coming and there's no way I'm going to be around to get caught for it .... ah, in it' look"  
  
Kasumi blinked "that an interesting name for that look but I guess it fits rather well." *****  
  
While all this was going on, a bandana clad young man was just realizing he was actually in front of the Tendo dojo.  
  
"Wow, looks like my luck is looking up..."  
  
"Excuse me?" Ryouga stiffened at the unfamiliar voice behind him, for some reason he felt like he had just stuck his foot in his mouth. 'Wait, that's Ranma who sticks his foot in his mouth all the time' Ryouga turned to the voice, secure in knowledge that, no matter what his gut was telling him, he hadn't sealed his fate. "Uh, what can I do for you?"  
  
"I take it you live here young man" asked a man who seemed a couple of years older than Ryouga.  
  
"Uh, heh heh, not yet.... I mean not usually.... I mean not really, yeah that's it." Ryouga finally answered while blushing and rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"I.... see" Replied the older gentlemen without even raising an eyebrow. "So are standing in front of the gate for a reason?"  
  
Ryouga finally pulled himself together and answered the man "Un, actually I was just about to go in, are you coming to the dojo yourself." Ryouga noted the green gi top, black undershirt, and black Chinese pants the man wore. He seemed pretty tall, maybe 6'2, with a pretty impressive build.  
  
"Why yes I am. I would like to ask for lessons." the man replied with a friendly smile.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure if anyone will be willing to teach you, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask." Ryouga replied while entering the Tendo yard. After knocking on the front door and getting no answer he went and peeked into the dojo still not seeing anyone home.  
  
"No one seems to be home.... that's kind of odd, I'm sure some one will be here shortly since school should be out soon. You can wait if you'd like Mr..." Ryouga trailed off.  
  
"Oh sorry, Mr. Mido, Kyoji Mido, I guess I'll stop back later." However before he could turn to leave Ryouga stopped him.  
  
"Wait, why are you hear for lessons, I can tell you pretty strong just from your aura..." 'maybe as strong as me.... No! only Ranma can stand up to me' "and the I can tell your skilled just by the way you walk. Your not here for lessons are you! Your probably here to kidnap Akane! Well I stop you and be the hero this time." Ryouga proclaimed while pointing at Kyoji.  
  
In response to Ryouga's shout Kyoji's smile dropped and his green eyes grew cold "Rather perceptive of you Ryouga Habiki, or should I say P-chan."  
  
Ryouga quickly jumped back to put some space between himself and Kyoji, then settled into an aggressive stance. "Why the hell are you really here?!" demanded Ryouga.  
  
"Hmm, since the 'cub' isn't here I guess I should leave a message." Kyoji wondered aloud.  
  
"Cub, what the hell are you talking about?" Ryouga asked without dropping his stance. Kyoji didn't bother to answer, instead deciding to raise an eyebrow at the angry young man before him. "Fine, I'll beat it out of you!" Ryouga shot towards Kyoji's still form connecting with a punch to his face. "So, why don't you answer me before I decide to continue." Ryouga said with a smirk on his face, a smirk that died a quick and painful death a second later.  
  
"Not bad, your strength's pretty good for a martial artist, However..." Ryouga once again put some distance between himself and Kyoji in the middle of Kyoji's sentence "to the warriors trained in the ultimate fighting styles you are rather lacking....Let me show you true power."  
  
After taking off his green gi, Kyoji settled into what seemed like a odd snake stance with one hand on equal level with his green eyes and his other beside his chest, with all his finger pointing straight forward and his body from the neck down positioned sideways. Kyoji started to slowly and rhythmically swing his hands and arms in a erratic pattern, seeming to lull Ryouga into becoming almost lost in said pattern. Once believing Ryouga far enough under his spell, Kyoji quickly bent backwards slightly before flying at Ryouga faster than Ryouga could ever hope to see with his eyes. Kyoji quickly shoved his right hand that was level with his eyes into Ryouga's shoulder while using his own ki to disrupt Ryouga's.  
  
The two fighters easily broke through the wall on the side of the dojo with Ryouga's body going first and Kyoji's quickly following with his hand still imbedded into Ryouga's shoulder. Once Kyoji's feet touched the dojo's floor he quickly took his hand out of Ryouga shoulder and began to walk out of the dojo.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
"I don't think you understand your situation piglet, you're better off staying down." Kyoji said while a ghost of a smile played across his face.  
  
"I haven't showed you my special move yet..." and so saying Ryouga began to charge of his Shi Shi Hokodan. Once it was ready Ryouga started to shoot it into the air but before it could leave, the ki exploded out of his body violently leaving him unconscious.  
  
"Ah, yes, the Shi Shi Hokodan, not a bad technique per se, but not good enough to fight through my ki disruption." Kyoji stated to no one before finally leaving the dojo and the Tendo home. *****  
  
Ranma continued on his way towards the Tendo Dojo with his head tilted back gazing at the sky when he crossed paths with his mother and Kasumi.  
  
"Hello Akane, Nabiki, and Ukyo" Said Kasumi with a smile on her face.  
  
"How are you all doing today?... Oh, Ranma." Nodoka finally noticed her son on the fence behind the three girls.  
  
"Huh, oh, hey mom... Kasumi." Ranma replied without much cheer.  
  
Nodoka cast the girls a questioning glance as to her son's mood. 'I hope they haven't been fighting over my Ranma again.' Nodoka knew how depressed Ranma had started to become whenever his suitors fought with each other.  
  
"Ranma's just a little out of it because of some bad memories from his training trip recently resurfaced." Nabiki calmly answered.  
  
"I see." 'Maybe I can talk to him about it back at the dojo, I haven't really talked with him about his training trip' Nodoka thought while watching her son walk along the fence toward the dojo.  
  
Feeling his mother's eyes on him Ranma tried to shake off his feeling of impending doom (tm) that continued to grow stronger as he reached the dojo.  
  
Finally reaching the outer gate of the home Ranma was first at the gate as he opened it to allow everyone to enter before stiffening at the condition of the dojo.  
  
"Move it Ranma, we've got a couple of bags out here!" shouted Akane trying to push past Ranma. "Jeez, pull yourself togeth... er?" Akane trailed off.  
  
Hearing Akane's voice fall everyone shoved in past Ranma and Akane to see what was wrong.  
  
"Oh My!" Kasumi covered her mouth.  
  
"That definitely wasn't there when we left for groceries." calmly stated Nodoka.  
  
Everyone finally tore their eyes away from the hole in the dojo wall and looked at Ranma.  
  
"Hey, I was at school all day, you know that!" Ranma cried out indignantly at the stares he was receiving.  
  
"Yeah, but I bet whoever did this came looking for you" replied his uncute fiancee.  
  
"Feh, whatev...." Ranma trailed off as he sensed a wildly fluctuating ki flow still inside the dojo. "Someone's in there!" Ranma yelled while running for the dojo doors and throwing them open.  
  
"Ryouga!" Akane cried while running over to check on him "He's bleeding pretty bad from his shoulder."  
  
As the others all crowded around to see Ryouga's condition, Ranma walked back out side the dojo picking up the green gi top he say laying on the ground. *****  
  
Kasumi finally finished with working on Ryouga's shoulder, sat back and let out a sigh. "Is he going to be alright Kasumi?" asked her baby sister with a catch in her throat. "He's going to be alright, he just needs some time to rest now. Would you like to watch over him just incase?" Akane nodded her head "Yeah, I'd like that"  
  
Everyone slowly left the room after that, meeting at the dining table.  
  
"Should we tell Ranma that Ryouga's going to be fine?" Kasumi asked to Nodoka. "I'll let him know" said Nabiki as she began to get up. "No, I think Ranma really should be left alone right now. He had a very intense look on his face when I went to talk to him a few minutes ago." Nodoka said with worry in her voice. *****  
  
"So Kyoji, or should I say Lee, did you defeat son-in-law?" Cologne asked Lee. "No, he was not home when I arrived but I did run into the young Hibiki boy" answered Lee. "Did he give you any trouble?" Cologne asked wondering just how strong was this Lee character. "Besides figuring out I wasn't actually there for lessons like I claimed, then no, he wasn't any trouble at all." Lee calmly stated.  
  
"I must say I am a bit surprised that a rival of son-in-law's would so easily ask for assistance instead of going off to fight him on their own..." Cologne gave Lee a piercing gaze.  
  
"I just want revenge to matter how it is done." Lee stared back at Cologne.  
  
After a long minute of staring Cologne gave in realizing it was foolish to expect him to crack this soon. 'I know you think your fooling me, but there's no way your here to get revenge against son-in-law as you claim. But I'll play along unless things get out of hand.' Cologne thought to herself wondering what was Ranma getting himself into now.  
  
While Cologne and Lee talked, Mousse silently listened in on their conversation. Of course both Cologne and Lee knew this, but as with most situations involving Mousse, they figured it unimportant. *****  
  
Lee began his walk down the almost empty sidewalk outside the Cat Cafe after the meeting with Cologne. 'Even though she's suspicious seeing her before meeting Ranma should keep her from interfering to much.' Lee couldn't help but smile a little about his upcoming meeting with the young 'cub'.  
  
Back in her own room Cologne watched Lee intently 'Hmm he claims to be a member of the once legendary school of the fang. A group of warriors who each represented one of the invincible beast techniques. Like Lee's Serpent's Tongue or Son-in-laws Cat fist. Now the school is all but dead and Lee is nothing more than a worm drowning after the rain.... or is he. I just know there has to be more to this then just Lee wanting to fight one of the few students of the fang still around.' *****  
  
Ranma sat in the dojo holding the green gi in his hand and looking at his left fist clench and unclench. 'So Lee is here, he always wore a green gi like this when he practiced, and Ryouga's wound was without a doubt done by Lee's special technique.....  
  
"The venom bite" a technique that not only stabs the body, but disrupts your ki flow making it almost impossible to move your body correctly.'  
  
Standing up and facing the hole in the dojo wall Ranma imagined Lee flying at him with his right hand poised to stab Ranma in his chest area. With a grunt Ranma ignited his own aura at full strength. Letting go of his aura Ranma wonder if he could hold out against Lee.  
  
'With my hesitation in battle after killing Saffron and giving up mastering the Cat Fist can I ever hope to stand against Lee. Can I stand against a martial artis.... No! A warrior of Leon Max's power and mastery of one of the Invincible beast techniques?' *****  
  
"You must decide now, will you finally become a ferocious tiger or will you let yourself wilt away as a pitiful martial artist training in some beat up dojo? What will your choice be young cub?"  
  
Lee asked while walking alone down the street towards his temporary lodgings while in Nerima. ***** The afternoon of the next day....  
  
Kasumi quickly peeked into the guest room seeing Akane watching over Ryouga. "Any changes yet?" Kasumi quietly asked. "No, not really, he's been mumbling a little.... it sounds like "Ranma, this is all your fault" I think." Akane replied.  
  
"I'll bring you lunch alright." Kasumi told Akane as she headed downstairs.  
  
Once she reached the entrance of the kitchen Kasumi was stopped by Ranma's question "Hey Kasumi, is Ryouga OK?" Kasumi looked over at him and nodded her head "Yes, no need to worry, Akane's watching over him right now." Kasumi was a bit disappointed to see Ranma not even notice what she said about Akane. "Good... I think I'll go practice some more." And with that Ranma went back to the dojo that he had spent the night in.  
  
Nabiki and Nodoka watched Ranma's return to the dojo with worried expressions. "I've never seen Ranma look that ....." Nabiki paused to find the right word. "worried, focused, maybe a little scared." Nodoka supplied. "Uh, well I guess one or two of those. You know, with as many fights that happen around here I've never actually seen anyone that hurt before.... and for it to be Ryouga, the one with probably the toughest body, to have the injury is a bit unsettling." Nabiki replied.  
  
"Hello?" Ukyo walked around to the side door seeing if any one was home. Spotting Nabiki and Nodoka sitting on the porch, Ukyo approached. "Hey, no body answered the door, so I came in to see if everything was alright."  
  
"Sorry dear, we're all still a little out of it right now. please come an sit with us." Nodoka patted beside her. "Uh, OK." Ukyo replied "How's Ryouga doing? he was looking alright when I left yesterday."  
  
"He's fine, Akane's keeping a silent vigil over him" Nabiki answered while staring at the dojo.  
  
"How's.... Ran-chan been doing" Ukyo asked while squirming under Nodoka's gaze.  
  
"Well, he's been in the dojo all day since yesterday, why do you ask." Nodoka smiled as Ukyo began to blush. "Well, that is, Um... a letter! yeah a letter was outside the dojo when I stopped by. It's for Ranma." Ukyo quickly held up the letter for everyone to see.  
  
Ranma quickly exited the dojo to everyone's surprise "Afternoon Ucchan, did I hear you say you found a letter for me?" Ukyo nodded while handing the letter over.  
  
"How'd you hear her Ranma? been spying on us or maybe feeling a bit paranoid?" Nabiki smirked. Without so much as a glance Ranma retorted "Well it's pretty easy to hear you guys when there's a Ryouga sized hole in the wall, ya know."  
  
"Oh right" Nabiki deflated.  
  
"I need to go for a walk, I'll see you guys later.... Bye!" Ranma called out while dashing for the outer wall and quickly jumping over it.  
  
"Wait!" Nodoka cried to no avail. *****  
  
Lee quietly ate his bowl of Ramen in the corner of the Cat Cafe when Mousse sat at the table beside him. Lee raised an eyebrow as Mousse began shooting hateful glares and the man sitting across the table from him. "Alright Pal, look here, Saotome is mine and I won't let you beat him or take Shampoo from me!" Mousse banged his fist on the table at the end of his declaration. "Ex.. Excuse me?" The unfortunate customer asked, wondering why the waiter was being so paranoid over hair care products that he hadn't even asked him for.  
  
"Ahem.... I believe he's looking for me...." Lee told the young man who seemed completely confused and rightly so, before turning to address Mousse "and Mousse I think you should put on your glasses."  
  
Mousse quickly dropped his glasses over his eyes before looking back and forth between Lee and the unimportant young man. "There you are!" Mousse yelled as he turned to Lee, however not moving to his table.  
  
"Lee you can't fool me I know you trying to defeat Ranma so you can show my Shampoo that your the best for her!"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? You give your shampoo genders?"  
  
"Ahem..."  
  
"What? Of course my Shampoo has a gender what are you trying to say?"  
  
"Oh wait, you mean the purple haired young women?"  
  
"Um...."  
  
"I knew it! you are after my Shampoo"  
  
"I really hope your talking about that young women at the register and not actual hair care products."  
  
"Excuse me..."  
  
"So you admit it!"  
  
"I'm admitting nothing, you water fool"  
  
"will someone please pay attention to me?"  
  
"It's waterfowl!"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"ENOUGH!"  
  
Lee and Mousse paused to look at the flustered young man who finally realized he had gotten their attention. "Could you two talk about this at your own table?"  
  
"Oh sorry." Mousse looked a little sheepish as he went to sit at Lee's table.  
  
"Mousse, I have no interest in your girlfriend or your hair care products, actually I really don't care if you are the one to beat Ranma." Lee told Mousse.  
  
"Huh?" was Mousse's intelligent reply.  
  
"Look I just want Ranma to suffer, I don't care if I'm not the one to do it. I sent Ranma a challenge letter he'll be meeting me at the outskirts of Nerima near the forest, you more than welcome to take my place, heck since he'll be expecting me he might not even notice you if your real quiet."  
  
Mousse stared at Lee for a few tense seconds before giving in "Alright, I think I will go as a matter of fact." Mousse quickly got up and ran out the door not even bothering to inform Shampoo or Cologne.  
  
'Fool, even as he is now, Ranma is far to skilled to lose to the likes of you.' Lee thought as he finished his meal, left his money on the table, and heading for the Tendo Dojo once again. *****  
  
Ranma slowly walked down the path towards the beginning of the forest 'Why did Lee attack Ryouga? Did Ryouga start it? Lee wouldn't attack Ryouga just to get at me... unless he's changed because of the wound I gave him. With my luck that's probably exactly what's happened.'  
  
Finally reaching the forest Ranma continued his train of thought almost ignoring his danger sense(tm) and the sound of metal flying through the air, almost. Ranma quickly jumped to the side while twisting in midair to face the direction the projectiles had come from. He was only slightly surprised to see Mousse standing across from him. "What are you doing here Mousse?" Ranma asked with a forcefulness Mousse had never heard in him before. "I'm here to defeat you of course, and finally win Shampoo from you." Mousse answered while attacking again.  
  
Ranma narrowed his eyes as he quickly noted each chain and blade flying at him, once done his just moved a half inch to right then raising his right leg and tilting his head back to the left. Mousse gaped as Ranma barely put effort into the dodge 'What? I threw way to much at him for him to dodge that easily!' "Where's Lee? he sent the letter not you." Ranma calmly stated. "I'll tell you when you're laying at the bottom off my feet!" Mousse yelled while trying a new attack.  
  
He jumped at Ranma and began to twist in midair while spinning spiked chains around him as he closed in. 'Interesting move... but nowhere near good enough to even worry about.' Ranma thought while timing a small ki blast to hit Mousse when the two chains were pointing in opposite directions of Ranma. Mousse yelped in surprise as he let go of the chains and began rubbing his back where he was hit.  
  
Mousse began to wildly look around him as he realized he was still in a fight. 'Where is he..... Damn.' Mousse finally noticed Ranma when he looked up, unfortunately Ranma was only a few inches away from Mousse. Ranma quickly landed from the jump he used to avoid the chains, and at the exact moment of his landing shot back up with an uppercut to Mousse chin. Mousse flew back from the impact and decided to take a small time-out. *****  
  
"I know it's kind of late but lunch is ready." Kasumi called out as she entered the dining area. She looked up noticing they had a guest at the dojo "Hello again Ukyo.... where's Ranma?"  
  
"Oh don't worry about him, he took off earlier after receiving some letter." Nabiki wave off Kasumi's concern. "I wonder what it was about?" Ukyo wondered out loud.  
  
"My manly son probably went to meet another of his girlfriends" Nodoka replied with a serene smile. "WHAT! another girlfriend?!" Ukyo cried out.  
  
"I'm just joking Ukyo. I'm sure he'll be back soon Kasumi."  
  
"I wonder who the letter was from.... maybe the guy who beat up Ryo..."  
  
KNOCK. KNOCK.  
  
Everyone turned towards the door wondering who was showing up. Kasumi quickly went to get it with Nabiki following.  
  
"Hello." Kasumi said as she answered the door and blinked at the young man in front of her.  
  
Nabiki raised an eyebrow at the man who was wearing a black suit with no tie and boots instead of regular dress shoes. As he removed his glasses she was shocked to see green eyes that clashed with his long black hair that framed the side of his face.  
  
"Good day. I'm sorry to bother you , but I was wondering if Ranma Saotome was staying here?"  
  
"Oh my, your here for Ranma?" Kasumi asked with a little shock.  
  
"And just who might you be?" Nabiki asked.  
  
"I'm sorry, let me introduce myself.... I'm Kyoji Mido. I work for the government, well when they ask me to at least. I usually deal with things concerning the unusual, like magic items and super powered martial artist. I wanted to warn Mr. Saotome about one such martial artist who was not only destroying dojo's but also putting it's students in the hospital. He's actually in the area if my sources are right and is probably planning on attacking Mr. Saotome, so I was wondering if maybe he could help me." Lee answered with a smile that rivaled Kasumi's.  
  
"Well Ranma's not here right now and we're having lunch, so...." Kasumi trailed off not wanting to disappoint the nice man who seemed rather young to be working for the government, after all he couldn't be more than a year older than her.  
  
"Actually that guy your talking about is probably the one who busted up our dojo, and left a.... friend of ours out of commission." Nabiki informed the so-called somewhat government agent, all the while studying his face. He was rather handsome but something about him seemed off.  
  
"Oh, you don't say, do you mind if I have a look at the dojo while a wait for Mr. Saotome to return?" Kyoji asked the middle Tendo sister.  
  
"Sure I'll show it to you" Kasumi answered while Nabiki watched the man follow her sister to the dojo. Eventually deciding to go eat with the other Nabiki, thought it be best to question him as soon as she finished eating. *****  
  
Ranma relaxed a little as Mousse finally struggled to stand. "I know you have this dream that someday you'll beat me and then Shampoo will finally realize you're the perfect man for her, but really, do you expect to beat me with your current skill level?"  
  
"I will defeat you!" Mousse attacked with renewed strength. moving in to fight somewhat hand-to-hand, however Mousse wore bracers with three claws on each sticking out almost like the claws on his shoes when he first fought Ranma in a duel. Ranma noticing Mousse's newest surprise decided to dodge instead of blocking Mousse's blows. After about a minute of cat and mouse, Ranma decided to put an end to this game. Ranma leaned back at an almost impossible angle letting Mousse's right hand shoot over his body where his head was a moment ago. Quickly grabbing the hand with his left he straightened back up and caught Mousse left hand in his right. After placing a knee in Mousse gut Ranma placed he foot on Mousse's chest and pulled off both of the bracers. As Mousse went stumbling away Ranma once again went at Mousse, quickly ripping off his shirt.  
  
Mousse finally opened his eyes after closing them when he saw Ranma moving in to attack him again, and realized Ranma had removed his robe. Ranma watched Mousse's face pale in realization of his situation. "So Mousse, why are you here instead of Lee?" Ranma watched as Mousse dropped to his knees.  
  
"He said he wanted me to soften you up before he tried to take you on. He threatened to try and win Shampoo if I didn't help him, besides we both wanted you defeated." 'Ranma should buy that' Mousse smirked with his face bowed.  
  
Ranma turned away from Mousse disgusted 'either he thinks I'm a fool or he doesn't know Lee all that well.' "I can't say I completely believe you but I'm finished with you." Ranma began to walk out of the forest when he once again heard the sound of multiple items in the air. Ranma turned around with a look of shock on his face as the small egg bombs closed in on him.  
  
Ranma was thrown back as the multiple bombs went off. *****  
  
"What? There someone going around destroying dojo's all over, and now he's probably after our dojo too?"  
  
"That's right. That's why I want you to be careful Akane."  
  
"I wonder how strong he is, do you think Ran... we can beat him."  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that Akane, I'm sure with Ranma's help we'll be alright. And until he gets here we have that nice young man in the dojo to help keep a look out."  
  
"Yeah, I guess your right Kasumi."  
  
"I better go make sure Nabiki doesn't start interrogating the young man."  
  
Akane finally smiled at Kasumi "If it's not to late."  
  
Said young women was in fact trying to do that very thing. "So you're not really with the government per se, just someone who helps out? Like an informant?"  
  
"Well, I rather not think of myself as one, but I do provide information for the government as well as do a little field work if they ask.... and pay for it."  
  
As the two continued to talk a certain Amazon came by looking for either her husband or coworker. She was quickly meet by whom she hoped would be her mother-in-law and Ukyo. "Nihao, Ms. Saotome is Airen or Mousse here?"  
  
"Oh I'm sorry Shampoo, but Ranma left earlier and we haven't seen Mousse at all." Nodoka told Shampoo.  
  
Wondering why Ukyo was there 'I hope she's not trying to kiss up to MY mother-in-law' Shampoo quickly asked "What Spatula girl doing here?" Ukyo narrowed her eyes and began to open her mouth when Kasumi entered the room.  
  
"Oh, hello Shampoo have you came to check on Ryouga as well?" Kasumi asked.  
  
Shampoo blinked at the new information "What wrong with pig boy?" she asked while still looking at Ukyo.  
  
"Well Shampoo..." Nodoka began as she gestured for Shampoo to sit down with her 'It's so nice to have so many energetic young ladies to gossip with and talk about my son.' *****  
  
Ranma groaned from his position on the ground as he curled up into a ball. "Ha, so now who's all high and mighty, Ranma. Well Lee said he wanted you to suffer no matter how it was done so I guess I'll grant his wish." Mousse said with smiling at his downed opponent.  
  
"How generous of you" Ranma replied as he uncurled himself and lazily rolled to his feet. "It seems Lee might not be the man I remembered him as." Ranma replied while dusting his clothes. Mousse jumped into the air and went for more of his bombs as Ranma was talking to himself. Right as Mousse cocked his arm back to throw the bombs Ranma shouted out his own attack.  
  
"Moko Takabisha!" *****  
  
Ranma walked back to dojo as the sun began it's final descent. As he reached the gate he found Kasumi, Ukyo, his mother, and even Shampoo talking with each other on the porch. Blinking at the surreal scene of so many of his favorite women, and incidentally almost the only women he knew, all getting along together he wondered what was the occasion.  
  
"Yo, what's up?" He called out catching all their attention at the same time.  
  
"Ranma!" they all called out with odd faces.  
  
"Um, yeah?" he was getting that impending doom(tm) feeling again.  
  
"You had us worried, running around when there some dangerous fighter looking for you." his mother told him while pulling him along to the dojo.  
  
"H..How'd you know about that?" Ranma fearfully asked.  
  
As she continued pulling him towards the dojo, Nodoka answered her son "Someone with the government came by to warn you, he's waiting in the dojo now." Ranma blinked at this 'the government's getting involved in this? It's just a stupid 'guy challenges other guy to a fight to the death' type thing, nothing to get worked up about.' (A glimpse into the mind of Ranma Saotome)  
  
"This is Mr. Kyoji Mido" Nodoka informed Ranma as she began to open the dojo doors. "He works with super powered martial artist and other so called crazy stuff." Ukyo helpfully added with a shrug.  
  
'WHAT' Ranma gasped as he got a look at "Kyoji Mido" or Lee as Ranma knew him as.  
  
'Ah, Damn.... this really sucks' Ranma quickly schooled his features.  
  
"You took your time with that fool, Mousse. You've become sloppier than I expected....." Lee took a moment to think it seemed. "The last time we faced each other was when you almost mastered the Cat Fist was it not? It's been 3 years." Lee stated in a calm voice as he faced the shrine at the end of the dojo where he was standing.  
  
"You know this man Airen?" Shampoo asked trying to keep up with all the new information coming her way since stopping by the dojo earlier.  
  
"So, you've changed your name to Kyoji Mido?" Ranma completely ignored Shampoo's question.  
  
Lee continued "3 years, only two little words, but those years were very long to live through in actuality."  
  
"Yes, they were long enough for some people to become rotten to the core." Ranma replied in a voice just a calm as Lee.  
  
"Excuse me, but will someone please explain what's going on?" Shampoo was really getting lost.  
  
"Ryouga was always a hot head and not very concerned with other people's welfare when it came to our fights, but you used to be a very different fighter back when we all were still developing our skills. Back then you had incredible strength within you. You always fought your matches fair and square. You'd never hurt the people near your opponent to shock or rattle them. You'd never sent a distraction to catch your opponent off guard, or to keep them busy while you took something to hold over your opponent while they were distracted. You never resorted to those types of tricks before."  
  
As Ranma spoke, everyone else in the dojo started to retreat from their 'guest' some even gasping as they realized what Ranma was insinuating about him.  
  
Once Ranma stopped his description of Kyoji during the younger days, the young man in question began to laugh, chilling everyone in the dojo. He slowly faced Ranma, still laughing as Ranma began speaking again.  
  
"You're no longer the person I considered my greatest rival ever..... Leon Max, Master of the invincible technique 'The Serpent's Tongue' and fellow student of the School of the Fang"  
  
"Fellow student of the School of the Fang!?" Ukyo shouted.  
  
"Master of the Serpent's Toungue" Nabiki followed Ukyo's lead.  
  
"So this is actually the man that's after Ranma.... right?" Shampoo asked hoping to finally have something to latch on to.  
  
Ranma and Lee continued to stare at one another until Lee finally began moving towards him.  
  
"I was afraid you skills would deteriorate after leaving the school... I didn't think that your mind would as well. Mousse a distraction, that fool can't even pay attention to himself much less gain someone else's. As a student of the School of the Fang I know your strength better than probably anyone else. Going easy on Mousse.... you obviously have gotten soft since you left our school."  
  
"You think Ranma's...." Kasumi began only to have Nodoka finish for her. "Soft?" Ranma's mother asked.  
  
"My skills as the heir to the Saotome school of Anything Goes martial arts is more than enough to protect those I care about. I have no need for the skills of a warrior." Ranma shot back at Lee.  
  
"Is that so? Well even as a martial artist you're a failure." Lee began to unbutton his coat as he watched Ranma flinch as if physically struck by his accusation. "While you were playing with Mousse, I was here. And while I was here your women let their guards down just because I said I was with the government. Who knows what I could have down while you were gone if I had wanted to?" Lee almost laughed at the expression on Ranma's face as he words began to set in. It looked like Ranma had just ate an Akane mystery meat dish, the mystery being if there was any meat in it or not. Nevertheless Lee continued "But this wasn't the only time was it? No, there was the time Shampoo used the formula 119 on Akane, and when Mousse kidnapped her and threatened to use the spring of drowned duck, you could barely face the Ghost Cat, your first Hiryu Shoten Ha swept up Akane, let's not even mention all the damn princes you faced to save one and sometimes all of your fiancee's, Oh but to top if off, you let some glass jawed wannabe God kill Akane." Lee did let out a soft laugh as Ranma's left eye twitched over and over again until it just settled on being a grimace.  
  
All the females in the room whipped their head over to Ranma 'Akane actually died at Jusendo?' was on everyone's mind.  
  
"How you were able to bring her back is beyond even me." Lee face lost all traces of cheer as he spoke again "but even worse than allowing others to get involved you allowed yourself to be beaten over and over again by fools like Happosai, Herb, hell you've even lost to that moronic piglet...."  
  
'Has this guy actually been watching Ranma ever since he came to our dojo!' Nabiki asked in shock, even she couldn't know everything about Ranma's time in Nerima.  
  
"Satisfactory strength is a good as no strength at all. And words spoken by a hypocrite, especially when not even realizing it, sickens me." Lee's faced sneered in disgust.  
  
"Hey now! Even if some of what you say is true, if Ran-chan wasn't there all those times things would have gotten a lot worse!" Ukyo interrupted.  
  
"Is true! Shampoo would have been stuck with the Ghost Cat if not for Airen." Shampoo backed Ukyo up.  
  
"And if what you said is true than Ranma was even able to bring Akane back from the .... dead" Nabiki finally got out, still shocked from Lee's knowledge of what's been going on in Nerima and even more by finding out how close she came to losing her baby sister.  
  
"That's right, Ranma always protects everyone" Kasumi added, getting caught up in the moment of defending Ranma.  
  
"You think so?.... then what about Ryouga Habiki, Ranma's so called friend and rival....If I had wanted to I could have done much worse to the weakling." Lee continued to attach Ranma's psyche.  
  
"You did that to Ryouga?!" Nabiki cried out.  
  
"For you not to have figured that out immediately.... well I guess it's as you say, 3 years is enough time for someone to completely rot. Drowning yourself with this false belief in your strength. How can a man truly protect people without being a warrior?.... Have you forgotten?  
  
'I shall live by the sword and I shall die by the sword.'  
  
That was the one code every student lived by at the school. To see the man that you have degraded to is almost unbearable." Lee spoke to Ranma while tuning out all around him.  
  
"I don't care what you say, I will not try to master such a deadly technique. I won't become a merciless fighter who thrives on violence." Ranma stated with conviction as his family and friends stared at him.  
  
"I see...." Lee smiled as he slowly entered his Serpent's Tongue stance. "Well then I will destroy all your pretenses to your current claim of strength."  
  
Ranma made no move as he stood in front of his mother. "What's wrong cub? Are you going to let your long lost mother feel my 'venom bite' as well?"  
  
Nodoka grabbed the back of her son's shirt as he began to step away from her. Ranma paused "Don't worry mom, I can take this guy...."  
  
"But son..." Nodoka tried to get out.  
  
"Lee has come to finally settle the score for a mistake on my part. I can't ignore his challenge." Ranma tried to reason with his mother.  
  
"Yes.... But... I can't let you just..." Nodoka trailed off not sure how to stop them from fighting, when Lee obviously had issued a challenge. Before she come up with a good enough reason Ranma once again left her embrace and placed himself at one end of the dojo. Lee also moved to the other end opposite of Ranma. Nabiki quickly moved over to the other woman, placing herself between Kasumi and Nodoka, as they all stood by the dojo's entrance.  
  
Once everyone was more or less in place, Lee once again took up his stance as he let his hands began their slow dance, mesmerizing his audience. Ranma slowly relaxed into one of his defensive stances raising his left had in front of his face and his right hand clenched at his side with his legs parted, and knees slightly bent.  
  
Lee continued his hand pattern as the sun finally died out. Ranma on the other remained perfectly still as he struggled to use his ki to fight off the effects of Lee's hypnotizing stage of the 'venom bite'.  
  
Lee waited for the last ray of the sun to leave the dojo. Then as he had done against Ryouga, Lee shot out like a canon towards Ranma. "Defend Yourself!"  
  
Ranma wasted no time jumping into the air and letting Lee fly into the dojo wall.  
  
"Ha! with the Saotome school of anything goes specialty being midair combat, that guy doesn't stand a chance with landing that ground attack!" Ukyo cheered.  
  
"That's right, that'll show him who's weak..." Shampoo added, never one to be left out when praising Ranma.  
  
Lee quickly flipped back from the wall and sneered at Ranma. "Do you think that you've won 'cause you dodged my attack, well your wrong young 'Cub'!"  
  
Lee quickly redirected his hands to point upwards at a diagonal and shot into the air to stab at Ranma again.  
  
'The Rising Venom Bite!' Ranma internally screamed, disgusted with himself for having forgotten the technique. However let it not be said that Ranma hadn't learned any thing since leaving the school and his subsequent stay at the Tendo's, as he quickly used all his speed to force his body to twist at the top of his jump to avoid the attack. Letting out a breath in relief, his head snapped up as he noticed he hadn't heard Lee crash with the roof or wall of the dojo behind him.  
  
Lee, shocked that Ranma had been able to dodge his attack twice, wasted no time in catching himself against the corner of the roof and wall. He quickly turned to Ranma's still airborne body shooting in exactly the opposite direction of his second attack, stabbing Ranma in the back with his hand.  
  
Ranma held back a scream at the unexpected pain in his back.  
  
Lee grinned at the blood flying out of Ranma's back.  
  
The girls gasped at sight of Ranma's blood.  
  
"Ranma!!" ***** To be Continued?  
  
Authors notes: this is my first fic so please tell me what you think (I figured I try a fusion as a way to avoid writers block while gaining experience with writing before going with a completely original idea. Hopefully this will also help condition me toward writing long chapters.) Even though no characters from Kenshin will actually be in the fic (at least non are planned) the reason for me calling it a fusion for those who didn't catch it is because the events in this story mirror the Kyoto arc of the Kenshin anime. The story will continue to divulge from the anime though as I continue to write it. Akand and Ryouga will probably share Sannosuke's spotlight. Maybe Ukyo, Shampoo and even Nodoka will take the place of Yahiko and Kaoru. I been wondering on changing Leon Max's (also known as Lee and Kyoji Mido) name any suggestions are welcomed (He's half American, half Japanese. which is the reason for the height, build, eye color, and name.) I would also like any ideas on a title and the warrior code I used... 'I shall live by the sword and I shall die by the sword.' If anyone can think of something better just let me know.  
  
quail12001@yahoo.com 


	2. Part 2

A Ranma 1/2-Rurouni Kenshin fusion Title Pending  
  
By: Q Ranma 1/2 and Rorouni Kenshin do not belong to me and are being used solely for non-profit purposes.  
  
Nodoka had to be held back as she tried to rush to her son's side.  
  
"Ranma!"  
  
Ignoring the pain, Ranma flipped forward in midair. Catching Lee's jaw while flipping Ranma landed on his left knee and right foot. A quick check proved the wound in his side wasn't enough to cause any great concern.  
  
"Well now, you dodged my rising version of the 'Venom Bite' along with the straight version. Not bad, but as you can see you can't keep avoiding it." Lee once again fell into position for the 'venom bite'.  
  
"No! not another one!" Kasumi exclaimed, fearing for Ranma's safety.  
  
Ranma focused on Lee and slowly began to remember small bits of his training with him during his stay at their school. 'Come on! I know this move I shouldn't have such a hard time defending against it!'  
  
With hardly a sound Lee flew towards Ranma again, only to have his arm grabbed by both of Ranma's hands. 'Jeez! with the amount of speed and power in that move, there's no way I can hold it with one arm.' Lee lifted his right arm with Ranma's following and sent Ranma towards the back of the dojo with a left punch to the chest.  
  
"With the strength I gained from my many battles since the fall of the school and my 'Serpent's Tongue', There's no way you could hope to defeat either as you stand now."  
  
'This guy is on a completely different level' thought Nabiki, while listening to Lee lecture Ranma's prone form. She glanced at Shampoo and Ukyo to take in their reaction of the situation, she couldn't help but feel a chill travel down her spine at the horrified looks on their faces.  
  
"Ra...Ranma? please give up, there's no need.." Nodoka trailed off as she saw a red glow slowly start to appear around Ranma. Taking a step back Nodoka was snapped back to attention by the voice of Lee.  
  
"Come on!"  
  
Nodoka with a firm step placed herself in between the two fighters and leveled a glare at Lee.  
  
"Move ma'am, you're in the way." Lee spoke with his voice as cold as ice.  
  
Nodoka began to speak when a hand found it's way on her arm, looking behind her, She again fell silent at the look Ranma was giving Lee. As she stepped aside for Ranma, she watched as he red aura flickered on and off.  
  
'I can see Ranma slowly reverting back to his rage induced version of the cat fist with every pass. Yes, even with his wound he's getting stronger instead of weaker.' Lee continued to study Ranma as he once again engaged in the fight.  
  
"Here I come." Ranma hissed. Taking the initiative Ranma flew towards Lee unloading his Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken without a word. Lee quickly covered his face with his arms forming an 'X' as hundreds of punches pounded his arms, ribs, and chest. After a second Lee snaked a kick through the sea of punches coming his way and sent Ranma flying back to where he came from.  
  
'What the...I heard about the Amaguriken move, but I never thought it was that fast. I guess I didn't give him enough credit afterall.' Lee admonished himself.  
  
Ranma's shirt lost a few buttons as the force from Lee's kick finally toke it's course. Ranma shakily stood up from his crouch.  
  
'Ranma must be running out of energy, his aura is isn't as big as it was a moment ago.' Shampoo hazard to guess. She was forced to rethink her hypothesis as Ranma finally began to walk forward. Her gasp was lost in the crowd of everyone else's at they witnessed Ranma slightly bend forward. However, what really got their attention was when his eyes started to glow red and he appeared to have small fangs.  
  
As Ranma slowly walked around Lee, his hands began to tense continuously as his aura made his fingernails seem sharper than normal. Lee also began to glow, however his was a dark green color about the shade of his eyes.  
  
'I've finally pushed you to embrace the Cat Fist again. I suppose it is time to begin the real battle.' Lee smirked at Ranma "Now, for the true 'Serpent's Tongue', no more playing around!"  
  
"No way, was he really holding back?" Ukyo shouted to no one in particular.  
  
Lee as usual got into his stance with his right hand pointed forward and leveled with his face, and his left at chest level. However this time he slowly rocked his whole body, almost as if he was dancing. Ranma finally stopped stalking Lee and cocked his head slightly, while holding both hands at chest level and elbows pointed downward. Once again Lee silently charged Ranma but right before he struck Ranma lazily hopped over him and springboard off with enough force to send Lee into the wall for the second time in the fight.  
  
"Yes, Ranma's not holding back either, and he even beat Lee's 'Venom Bite'!" Shampoo followed Ukyo, almost as if the two had rehearsed their lines.  
  
"Lee, back at the school, each style had a main attack. You, of course, had the 'Venom Bite'. But even with it as powerful as it is, if you keep throwing it out at me like that, I'll quickly think of several ways past it." Ranma finally turned around to face the hole in the wall made by Lee.  
  
"Try again. This is rather pathetic for an ending, with me finally going all out after holding back for so long." Ranma spit at Lee.  
  
"For an ending? hmm, not quite what I was going for, but what the hell... I'll finish you now." Lee replied with a smile.  
  
Ranma smirked back "Excuse me? I think you're reading my lines."  
  
Kasumi looked back and forth between Ranma and Lee. "This feeling, this feeling of dread is the same I got when Akane left for Jusendo."  
  
Nodoka wasn't fairing any better "We need to stop them, they're really serious about hurting each other."  
  
"Auntie?" Nabiki quickly moved to Nodoka's side.  
  
Ranma spread his arms wide and crouched as he let his red aura condense around his body. Lee's aura grew in response as he took his now familiar stance, and began rocking. They both peered into the other's eyes looking for the perfect moment to attack.  
  
"If we don't stop them now then we won't get another chance!" Nodoka pleaded to Nabiki.  
  
A loud growl stopped Nabiki from commenting.  
  
Ranma tried to pounce on Lee but missed when his opponent lashed out with a regular snake strike causing Ranma to veer off course. Rolling with the miss Ranma turned back towards Lee and swung his hand towards him.  
  
"Tiger's paw" four 3-foot long red ki lines exited Ranma's fingertips.  
  
Lee dodged three of them by swerving his head but was caught by the pinky. Lee glanced at the small cut on his face, before facing Ranma again.  
  
Lee rolled under Ranma's second tiger's paw attack, but was caught by the third and fourth attack.  
  
"It seems you forgot about the "Full Tiger's paw", I can throw a tiger's paw attack with each hand and foot." Ranma smirked.  
  
"Don't kid yourself. I didn't forget, I took a chance that you hadn't remembered the full version of it. Besides the tigers paw using your feet doesn't actually cut." Lee shrugged his shoulders "It was a chance worth taking."  
  
Ranma's smirked changed into a smile "Fighting you always was unpredictable and fun."  
  
"That it was, that it was." Lee shot his fist forward and opened his hand at the exact moment he arm was fully extended "Here's my variation!" as he hand opened a thin flat green blade zoomed in on Ranma.  
  
Ranma hopped to his left all the way towards the wall then pushed off towards the ceiling which he clung to upside down. "That's a pretty nifty move. It looks pretty hard to do, it must take a lot of focus."  
  
"If you only knew..." Lee trailed off as he bent down and brought both arms down to his waist. "But enough talk." Lee jumped straight at Ranma raising both arms to stab him.  
  
Ranma let himself drop towards Lee while flipping. Four pair of ki claws accompanied him as he passed by Lee.  
  
"They're talking like they'll never see each other again... are they really going to kill each other." Kasumi asked herself.  
  
Ranma landed and jumped to the end of the dojo as Lee finally came down only feet from were he jumped from. Lee wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve. Lee's face was devoid of any emotion as faced off with Ranma again. Ranma eyes narrowed at Lee's stance.  
  
Lee leaned forward with his arms crossed in an X formation with both hands pointing at Ranma, and his legs facing forward.  
  
In return Ranma got into what would be best described as runner's starting position, both hands on the ground one leg bent under him and his other stretched back.  
  
Like a runner that his stance resembled Ranma pushed off with his hands and foot flying across the dojo floor straight for Lee, once he half way there he used the leg that was originally stretched out to push off again. Lee braced him self and once Ranma reached him he bent backwards.  
  
"Viper's pit!" Lee's hands struck at Ranma in what could be described as the Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken combined with a regular snake strike.  
  
Everyone gasped at the incredible sight of Ranma seemingly hovering over Lee as Lee continuously sent snake strike after snake strike at Ranma. In actuality Ranma barely slowed down his as he passed by Lee scratching at him over and over again.  
  
After passing Lee, Ranma landed on he feet but faced away from Lee. In contrast Lee feel to his knee as his left arm dung by his side.  
  
"One down... Three to go." Ranma whispered without even looking to verify the damage down.  
  
"That's enough Ranma! Stop fighting!" Nodoka screamed to her son.  
  
"That won't be happening Mr. Saotome." an aged voice called out as the side door to the dojo opened.  
  
"Elder!"  
  
"Grandmother?"  
  
"It's not our place to stop the two of them from finishing this. This is not a simple dojo challenge, this is a true battle between two students of the Fang, there's more to this fight than just pride." Cologne informed the others.  
  
"School of the Fang?" asked Ryouga who was leaning on Akane. The two had been heading for the dojo when Cologne arrived at the door.  
  
"Yes, a school that teaches the invincible techniques of legend. The man fighting Ranma is Leon Max the master of the 'Serpent's tongue'."  
  
"So that's the one Ranma injured all those years ago." Akane took a good look at the man holding his left arm.  
  
Ryouga snorted "Some master, he's already lost this fight."  
  
"As long as he is standing a true warrior has not lost." Cologne warned Ryouga.  
  
"Whatever, with his arm out of ..." Ryouga trailed off as he watched Lee enter the his stance once again. "He's not really going for that move with only one arm?! That's crazy!"  
  
"You always fought until you couldn't stand anymore." commented Ranma as he watched Lee prepare to attack.  
  
"Like the old women said, as long as I'm standing I still can win!" Lee closed in on Ranma grabbing his loose shirt sleeve and snapping it towards Ranma's left eye. Ranma's only reaction was to close his left eye while keeping his whole body tense in preparation for Lee's true attack with either his right arm or legs.  
  
"He didn't move his head out of the way..." Nabiki stated with confusion  
  
"He probably figured Lee wanted him to move a certain way to set him up." Akane guessed.  
  
"Well this fight should finally be over, Lee's desperate trick didn't work..." Ryouga was once again proven wrong.  
  
Lee cocked his right fist back after letting the sleeve go, however he twisted his whole upper body causing his left arm to swing at Ranma. Ranma barely paid any attention to it as he continued to watch Lee's right fist.  
  
Even as Ranma noticed the extra gleam from Lee's left hand it was to late.  
  
"Oh crap!" Ryouga's eyes grew wide.  
  
"That isn't his...?" Nabiki began.  
  
"Glasses!" Kasumi finished.  
  
Before Ranma could change the lazy block he had originally employed, Lee's hand with his glasses tucked between the fingers connected with Ranma's left hand. The collision broke the glasses sending shards towards Ranma's right eye.  
  
As Ranma stepped back to reorient himself Lee jumped and place his legs around Ranma's neck. Lee then flipped Ranma onto his back with a leg throw never releasing his hold.  
  
Nodoka no longer had the energy to even scream as she fell to her knees.  
  
"Damn! Ran-chan can't get out of that hold." Ukyo began to reach for her giant spatula.  
  
"That's not a simple hold. This fight may very well be over." Cologne said in a subdued voice 'I guess I should have expected son-in-law to lose to a master of one of the invincible techniques.'  
  
As Ranma's vision began to blackened he tried his own last ditch effort. 'I've seen Ryouga do this enough times, please let this work.'  
  
"Could it be?!" Cologne knew that ki technique well 'can he pull it off?'  
  
Everyone looked towards Cologne for only as second as they noticed her staring at Ranma with an intense look. They quickly focused back on the fight.  
  
Ranma narrowed his eyes a fraction, any narrower and they'd be closed. Slowly he touched the dojo floor with his finger out stretched.  
  
BOOM!  
  
Dust flew into the air as Ranma rolled away from Lee thanks to the bakusai tenketsu.  
  
Everyone was speechless and a bit breathless, this fight had taken way to many turns for them to handle.  
  
"You see children, this is how true warriors battle, even though they both should give up if this was a simple match, they choose to fight until they can no longer move. But even with that said I believe the next exchange with determine the fight." Even if the fight wasn't exactly pretty Cologne was more than impressed with both fighters.  
  
Ranma and Lee both slowly got to their feet. Ranma with his right eye closed and rapidly blinking his left. Lee with his left arm still unresponsive.  
  
"You ready to finish this?" Ranma asked.  
  
"You needn't ask." Lee grinned back.  
  
Lee entered a tae kwon do stance as Ranma entered his regular Anything Goes stance. Lee grimaced 'I can't really continue using my 'serpent's tongue' style with one arm.' Ranma wasn't any happier 'A lost to much energy thanks to Lee's chokehold.'  
  
Nodoka held her breath as the two charged each other once more.  
  
BANG!  
  
All action stopped at what suspiciously sounded like a gunshot from outside the dojo.  
  
Everyone peered outside to see a two individuals standing near the koi pond, one with her gun raised, the other with his hands clasped behind his back. As the one with the gun approached the dojo she began to speak "Dammit Lee! we sent you here to simply ask for Mr. Saotome's help, not to beat the crap out of every competent fighter here."  
  
"I'm kind of busy right now Detective Yamaguchi. I'll get back to you after I deal with Ranma."  
  
"Detective Yamaguchi?" Kasumi blinked in surpise, the green haired young women looked a little to young to be a detective.  
  
"Ask for Ranma's help?" Nabiki asked incredulously.  
  
Finally the other individual, an older gentleman in a business suit with grey hair and a few scars on his face, spoke up "Leon... I know you and Ranma have some unfinished business from your old training days, But we really can't have you or young Ranma taken out of the game at this point."  
  
Ranma's eyes widened at man in front of him "You're behind this... the former master of the 'Scales of the Dragon' style... Tetsuya Tsuki."  
  
Kasumi repeated Ranma " Scales of the Dragon?"  
  
"Just how many people are going to show up today?" Nabiki grumbled.  
  
"So what's up with this 'Scales of the Dragon' guy?" Ryouga asked.  
  
"Foolish boy, his style is one of the most brutal of the invincible techniques" Cologne admonished, while Ryouga bristled at being called a foolish boy.  
  
"I am sorry for having caused so much trouble for you, but Lee was the best man to send to figure out if you were still worth coming for. We didn't exactly expect for him to go this far." Tetsuya looked over to Lee. "Please Ranma, hear me out."  
  
"Alright, we'll listen to what you have to say" Ranma answered.  
  
Lee raised his eyebrow "Do you wish for me to stay my dear detective?"  
  
Yamaguchi glared at Lee "I think Mr. Tsuki would like for you to stay."  
  
"Whatever, well it looks like we'll have to postpone our final fight for a little while longer." Lee grinned at Ranma.  
  
Ranma had to tear his eyes away from Shampoo's lithe body to face Lee "....Yes, just a little while."  
  
Ranma slowly started walking with back towards the house placing his arms around both Shampoo and Ukyo, appearently for support. After a few steps he blinked looked at what he was doing and quickly jumped into the koi pond.  
  
Lee raised and eyebrow, then started chuckling "What's the matter cub? you weren't felling a bit frisky were you?"  
  
Ranma and Ukyo blushed, Shampoo grinned, Akane and Ryouga bristled, Nodoka and Cologne smiled, and Nabiki and Kasumi blinked.  
  
"Shut up Lee" Ranma decided to walk by her mother in case the water didn't help cool her off and shake her out of the Cat Fist. 'What was that all about?' *****  
  
"I'll get straight to the point... Daigo Mitsurugi is reviving the 'Band of the Fang' and has already begun his bid for control." Tetsuya began only to be cut off by Nabiki.  
  
"And just who is this Daigo guy, and I thought it was the 'School of the Fang'?"  
  
"Please allow Mr. Tsuki to finish Ms. Tendo." Yamaguchi politely asked.  
  
"Daigo Mitsurugi... he and I were the only two fighters at the school who began our training in our styles prior to joining. Even though he was about Lee's age he never got the popularity at the school like I did. As fighters who were not originally taught our techniques by the school we did not have to swear loyalty to them, I believe many feared that Daigo would by consumed by his style. Some people believe his style is a deadlier version of my own." A now male Ranma informed everyone.  
  
"A deadlier version..." Akane trailed off.  
  
"Of the 'cat fist'." Shampoo carried on for Akane.  
  
"I thought you were going to take him to China to help him find inner peace with some monks you knew. I take it something went wrong." Ranma asked Tetsuya.  
  
Everyone turned to Tetsuya as he hung his head in shame "Yes, while traveling across a foggy mountainous range in China, we came across a simple training ground..." Tetsuya paused.  
  
Ranma looked at Lee and then the other sitting in a semi circle around him, and noticed everyone had sweatdrops. "You wouldn't by any chance be talking about the Bayankala Range would you, and the training grounds of ..." Ranma really didn't want to finish his sentence and was more than happy when Lee picked up where he left off.  
  
"Jusenkyo. However did you guess?" Lee's voice was filled with sarcasm.  
  
Ranma seeing that Lee wasn't going to fill him in on any more information asked the question he really dreaded "He fell into one of the springs didn't he? which one was it?"  
  
"The first spring he fell into to..." Tetsuya was cut off again, this time by Ranma.  
  
"The First! Your kidding me, just how many springs did he fall into?"  
  
"Only two... First the 'spring of drowned dragon'... kind of ironic I guess, once he emerged from the spring in the body of a ten-foot long baby dragon we fought him into the 'spring of drowned boy'." Once he had finished he glanced to take in everyone's expressions. They all had gone slightly green in the face.  
  
"I guess you know a little about mixing jusenkyo curses. Well what come out was a man with scaly skin and white hair. his strength was incredible even compared to Lee's. Worst of all, however, was his mind set. He was filled with animalistic rage, in the end it took several of our men to finally put him down." Tetsuya closed his eyes as he finished.  
  
"Put him down?" Ranma turned to Lee again.  
  
"He supposedly drowned in the 'spring of drowned dragon'." Lee shrugged his shoulders "I guess we wrote him off to soon."  
  
"Eventually he returned to the school and destroyed it, gathering those who hadn't yet gained complete control over their styles and converting them to his army. With his power and the fallen members of our school, Daigo continued to search for fighters who enjoyed violence to add to his secret group." Tetsuya further elaborated for everyone.  
  
"So that's the real reason the school was disbanded. I always thought that the idea that the school just decided that the techniques they had were no longer necessary was a weak reason." Cologne muttered to herself.  
  
"So Daigo destroyed the school and resurrected the 'Band of the Fang' the original name for the first group of masters who developed the styles." Ranma thought out load.  
  
"With his group, Daigo plans on controlling Japan and perhaps even more of Asia from within the shadows. The government's regular forces can't do much since Daigo has already made connections with the Yakuza. We need someone to confront Daigo personally... we need a master of one of the invincible techniques to stop him. You're one of the few still living who isn't already working with Daigo. Please, for the sake of Japan and the honor of our school, face Daigo and his group along with Lee!" Tetsuya pleaded.  
  
Ranma bit his lower lip, while his mother finally spoke again "If I'm hearing this correctly you want my son to... get rid of this Daigo Mitsurugi."  
  
Tetsuya stared at her straight in the eyes "Yes, Mrs. Saotome, that's exactly what I want."  
  
"The government will be most thankful, and we will be more than happy to help restore both the Tendo and Saotome homes, as well as continue to overlook the fact that some of you are illegally staying in this country as well as some of you committing various crimes including larceny, housing fugitives, gambling and more... if you would just cooperate." Lee smirked at the different individuals as they cringed when one crime or another was mentioned.  
  
"That's blackmail, Lee." Yamaguchi stated before turning towards Ranma. "Please help us, the Country is in dire straits"  
  
Ranma found himself extremely sympathetic to young women in front of him.  
  
"So you want Ran-chan to clean up your mess? Well he isn't part of your school anymore so why don't you find someone else." Ukyo directed to Tetsuya.  
  
"Yeah, from the way I see it, Ranma could easily have been in Daigo's situation. You guys really screwed up, Ranma shouldn't be the one to clean it up." Nabiki pointed out.  
  
"Mr. Tsuki, I understand how grave the situation is, but Ranma isn't the warrior you believe him to be. He's just a regular boy who's been studying the martial arts his whole life and is now starting his path to joining the adult world." Nodoka tried to reason with him.  
  
"That's right, Ranma is my airen, not your warrior!" Shampoo nodded.  
  
"Ran-chan's staying here with his cute fiancee and best friend." Ukyo stated with conviction.  
  
"Besides you don't want a jerk like him deciding the fate of our country." Ryouga tried to sound wise.  
  
"B-but..." Yamaguchi was baffled.  
  
"It's alright Sakura." Tetsuya quieted the female officer. "Ranma, I don't need you answer immediately, so please thank about this long and hard. Not just for Japan but for your own soul as well." With that Tetsuya and Sakura began to walk out Ranma, Lee, and Nodoka behind them. The others stayed behind trying to come to terms with the information they were given.  
  
"Well Ranma, I have some business in the area for the next couple of days but I'll return for an answer on Sunday." Tetsuya began to enter the car.  
  
"Tetsuya... you seemed to have aged more than expected in only 3 years."  
  
"When you lose so much in such a short amount of time as I have... It takes a very high toll on you." Tetsuya took a deep breath before continuing "I pray that you will give me a good answer when I return."  
  
"Remember Mr. Saotome, we'll be returning on Sunday." Yamaguch got in the driver's seat. "Are you coming Lee?"  
  
"No, you two go ahead, I'll see you tomorrow." Lee answered while staring at Ranma.  
  
As the car drove off Ranma turned towards his mother "I need to go for a walk."  
  
Nodoka stared at her son before giving him a hug "Don't stay out to long." once reluctingly letting the hug go she took a moment to look at Lee who was still staring at Ranma. Finally she went back inside.  
  
"Walk with me." Lee told Ranma, who nodded in return.  
  
After walking in silence for a minute, Lee turned back to Ranma "You don't really plan on sitting this out do you?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"You're a horrible liar."  
  
"I know."  
  
They continued for awhile longer in silence before Ranma took the initiative "Is everyone else really gone?"  
  
Lee closed his eyes "Yes, besides the ones with Daigo, he has gotten rid of all other threats to his cause."  
  
"Except you and me..." Ranma thought.  
  
"I think he wants me and perhaps even you to try to stop him."  
  
Ranma nodded "He never did like the two of us did he?"  
  
Lee smiled "Even though we were both the same age, and I was only half Japanese, I still was better than him. And both of you came in at the same time but you got all the attention."  
  
"You think he wants to prove he's better than us."  
  
"More than likely." Lee stopped walking and turned towards Ranma. "No matter what you say or believe right now, you are and will always be a warrior, the sooner you accept that the sooner you'll find the peace to master the cat fist."  
  
"I think it'll take more than that for me to master it." Ranma deadpanned.  
  
"I don't doubt that, but you be further down the right path once you accept that you're a warrior."  
  
"I'll think about it."  
  
Lee began to walk away "Is that a new technique you've learned, I don't recall you ever tying to 'think about it' before."  
  
"Shut up Lee." *****  
  
-Sunday, one week later...-  
  
Genma and Soun were both fidgeting as they ate breakfast, they could feel a certain tension in the air. Now normally the two wouldn't have noticed it, but the fact that Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, Nodoka... as well as Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, and Cologne showed up for breakfast while staring at Ranma the whole time seemed a little odd.  
  
"Well boy what's on you schedule for today." Genma asked to hopefully calm everyone down, he sweatdropped as everyone leaned in to hear Ranma's answer.  
  
"Nothing much."  
  
Everyone was silent for a moment, before they all turned to Genma. Genma blinked as they starting making weird gestures at him 'What's wrong with everyone... are they sick, they keep flicking their eyes from me to the side while cocking their head at Ranma.'  
  
After realizing that Genma was useless, well most of them already knew that, Nodoka deciding since Genma did break the ice it wouldn't sound to prying if she continued his questioning. "So you're not planning on heading anywhere today?"  
  
"Um, no where important, maybe to get some ice cream or something." Ranma answered with still eating his breakfast.  
  
"I hear tonight is going to be beautiful, and I know how much you like to watch the stars from the roof so maybe we'll do that tonight. What do you say." Nodoka was determined to find out what Ranma was going to decide.  
  
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea." Ranma commented.  
  
Akane was really losing her patience with him though "Ranma!" Everyone cringed from Akane, except for the unfortunate piglet in her hands who wish he could cover his ears. "We're all waiting for you to tell us if your leaving or not!"  
  
"Yeah Ran-chan, you not really going to leave me again are you?"  
  
"Airen should not abandon wife, especially to go with that crazy snake fighter."  
  
"Snake fighter?" Ranma blinked "Oh you mean Lee. He is kind of out there isn't he."  
  
"I hate that guy!" several of the ladies said, Mousse also joined them.  
  
"Lee... Lee... that name sounds familiar..." Genma trailed off.  
  
"You know him pop, the guy who mastered the 'Serpent's Tongue' technique." Ranma reminded him.  
  
Genma blanched "HE came here?! did you really beat him, boy?"  
  
"Sorry, it was interrupted." Ranma calmly replied. "He beat the crap out of Ryouga though!" Ranma started laughing.  
  
"Don't laugh at Ryouga you jerk!" Akane punted Ranma out the house.  
  
"Well I guess we won't be getting our answer any time soon." Nabiki remarked.  
  
"You'd almost think son-in-law did that on purpose so that he could leave..." Cologne began to calmly sip some tea as she waited for the eventual explosion.  
  
"Damn! We've got to find him!" Akane dropped P-chan and began putting on her shoes as the other girls followed her lead. *****  
  
Tetsuya sighed to himself as his escort drove towards Nerima. 'Ranma has to help us against Daigo. Lee can't do it alone. I'm not even sure Ranma and Lee together will be enough... But there just isn't anyone else.' Firming his resolve Tetsuya spoke up "Ranma and Lee must save Japan."  
  
I'm sorry to bother you Mr. Tsuki, but by order of the Band of the Fang you must be killed.  
  
Tetsuya jumped in surprise at the young girl sitting beside him in the back of the car. "What?! How did you get in here?" He was further shocked when instead of opening her mouth to answer him she smiled   
  
'She didn't move her mouth but I still heard her' Tetsuya tried to figure out what this girl was. "You came into my car without opening the door and you spoke to me without your mouth... Oh my god! You have the URGG..." Before his could finish the young women reappeared in front of him with her hands around his throat.  
  
The driver in the car began swerving as a figure showed up in between the front seats strangling his charge. "Where the hell did you come from?!" He blinked as the frail looking girl smiled at him and took one arm from around her victim and knocked the driver out of the car.  
  
The driver rolled a couple of time before turning towards his car and watching it go head first into tall lamp post. As people started to surround the car the driver noticed a figure appear out of nowhere right before him. The driver took one look at the frail girl and passed out.  
  
Only minutes later did Ranma come across the scene 'that's odd you don't see to many car crashes in this area of Nerima...' Ranma made his way through the crowd of people. He stopped as soon as he had gotten a glimpse of the man involved in the accident "Tetsuya..."  
  
Ranma looked around, the voice was quite easy to hear but it seemed everyone else was ignoring it. Ranma spotted a frail girl, with light blue hair tied into two braids going down to her lower back, staring back at him from across the street. Once the voice told him goodbye the girl nodded to him and walked away. 'That girl couldn't have done this, she was only about 14' But regardless of who actually caused the accident he knew who ordered it.  
  
"Daigo Mitsurigi..." *****  
  
"Auntie, I heard some very terrible news..." Kasumi began to look at her feet before looking at Nodoka with worry in her eyes. "While I was out shopping there were some other housewives talking about a car crash that happened today, apparently some government official coming through Nerima was in an accident."  
  
Nodoka tried to keep calm "Did anyone know any names or know how the accident occurred?"  
  
"No auntie, they said somehow the driver went stumbling out of the car before passing out. With the driver out of the car, it slammed into a lamp post."  
  
"You think it might be him don't you?" Nodoka asked Kasumi.  
  
"I know I think it is." Came a voice from near the door way. Nodoka and Kasumi both looked to find Nabiki along with the rest of the girls coming in.  
  
"You really think it was him, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked.  
  
"Well you know how rarely police cars come through this area..." Ukyo trailed off.  
  
"I hope Ranma's alright." Shampoo added.  
  
Everyone's head snapped up at that. *****  
  
"Daigo must be getting close to making his last few moves if he's no longer taking the time to cover up his crimes. Mr. Tsuki was the last man we had who really knew how Daigo worked. Perhaps if we never got him involved he'd still be alive, he was in no condition to fight off..."  
  
Knock. Knock.  
  
The knock at the door cut Sakura off. Lee, Ranma, and Sakura watched a young officer enter the room. "Lee, Ranma this is the officer who spoke to the driver when he came back to. So what did he say about the incident?"  
  
The young officer cleared his throat before speaking up "Well he said he was just driving along when he heard Mr. Tsuki began to talk to himself, he said he tried not to pry into his business but then all of a sudden someone 'popped' into the car beside him and knocked him right through the car door and into the street. I asked him if he was sure the person hadn't jumped in the car during a moment when he stopped the car. He claimed that he had been extra attentive to his surroundings outside the car. When I told him to elaborate on that he said Mr. Tsuki had been acting a little out of character, like he was worried about something. He doesn't believe that Mr. Tsuki was expecting to be assassinated, but it was more like Mr. Tsuki knew today was going to be a important day to our future."  
  
Ranma winced at the last comment, but kept quiet. As Sakura asked the officer questions about the condition of the car and if there were any witnesses, Ranma and Lee stepped out of her office.  
  
"Ms. Yamaguchi seemed extremely troubled by Mr. Tsuki' death." Ranma noted.  
  
"She was the one who brought him in on the situation, if I'm not mistaken they believed that Daigo wouldn't go after him out of respect for being his former teacher." was Lee's reply. "With the last well known teacher from our school gone, I'm sure the government will be extremely cautious with Daigo. And I'm sure Daigo is going to make the most of that."  
  
Ranma stopped walking by the exit of the police building "Lee... just what are you planning?"  
  
Lee placed his glasses on before answering "I thought you started using your brains more. Isn't it obvious, there's only one thing left for me to do... I'm going to take on 'The Band of the Fang'."  
  
Ranma watched Lee continue his stroll down the station before deciding he have a very important decision to make himself.  
  
After putting a good distance between himself and the police station Ranma began to contemplate his decision. He tried to recall everyone's arguments pertaining to him leaving....  
  
"Please, for the sake of Japan and the honor of our school, face Daigo and his group along with Lee!"  
  
"So you want Ran-chan to clean up your mess? Well he isn't part of your school anymore so why don't you find someone else."  
  
"Yeah, from the way I see it, Ranma could easily have been in Daigo's situation. You guys really screwed up, Ranma shouldn't be the one to clean it up."  
  
"He's just a regular boy who's been studying the martial arts his whole life and is now starting his path to joining the adult world."  
  
"it was more like Mr. Tsuki knew today was going to be a important day to our future."  
  
"With the last well known teacher from our school gone, I'm sure the government will be extremely cautious with Daigo. And I'm sure Daigo is going to make the most of that."  
  
"I'm going to take on 'The Band of the Fang'."  
  
Ranma looked around at all the people who were going about their lives without a care in the world. 'Can I really ignore the danger that Daigo's presence will cause these people. It's like Lee said "No matter what you say or believe right now, you are and will always be a warrior".' *****  
  
There was quite a large gathering at the Tendo dojo as evening fell.  
  
"Come now Shampoo and Mousse, we have to open back up for the dinner rush." Cologne beckoned her two employees.  
  
"But Grandmother, we have to make sure Ranma doesn't leave!" Shampoo tried to argue.  
  
"Don't worry darling, you don't have to worry about Ranma... You have me." Mousse beamed Shampoo a winning smile while Shampoo beamed a Bonbori in return.  
  
"If Ranma leaves than there's no need for the resturant!" Shampoo tried again.  
  
"Alright, you two try to find son-in-law." Cologne gave in, of course it might be because she was curious as well.  
  
"I'll find him and bring him back to the Cat Cafe." Shampoo exclaimed.  
  
"Oh no you don't I going to go bring Ran-chan back!"  
  
"Wouldn't it be better if you all tried to find him together agian. Maybe this time, planning out how to break up everyone into groups and assigning them areas to cover." Kasumi helpfully added.  
  
"That's a good idea Kasumi. In fact, I actually thought of that earlier when our morning search fell apart." Nabiki began "Akane and..."  
  
"Me!" Nabiki blinked at the shout only to find Ryouga heading down their stairs. Deciding not to comment on the fact that Ryouga was wet or why he was coming from upstairs Nabiki just nodded. "Okay Akane and Ryouga will check west from here near the canal... then again maybe you guys shoudn't check around the there..."  
  
Akane blinked while Ryouga nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"You two will search around the high school. Shampoo and Mousse might as well search the area near their restuarant, the same for Ukyo who should be able to ask Konatsu for help. Me and Kasumi will check around the our neighborhood, Dad and Mr Saotome can check... where are they?" Nabiki asked her sister.  
  
"I'm not sure." Kasumi looked towards Nodoka.  
  
"I believe Genma and Soun went to celebrate the fact that Ranma survived a fight with Lee." Nodoka seemed non to pleased with that fact 'they didn't ask if Ranma was hurt, they just cared about was that he could still marry Akane.'  
  
"I guess auntie and elder Cologne can stay here in case Ranma returns while were looking for him." Kasumi suggested.  
  
"Alright everybody lets go." Akane stood up to lead everyone again. Everyone else just shook their heads 'Akane'll be lucky to find the school let alone Ranma with Ryouga as her partner' was the thought on more than one persons mind.  
  
As everyone headed out Nodoka turned to Cologne "Do you think it's alright for Kasumi and Nabiki to go out alone?"  
  
Cologne smiled at Nodoka "I'll keep an eye on them" and with that Cologne jumped to the roofs.  
  
Watching Cologne take to the roofs Nodoka thought to herself 'Ranma you were going to watch the stars with me tonight.' After waiting a few moments Nodoka headed for the ladder to the roof. 'I know it's kind of foolish but who cares.'  
  
"You were right, tonight is beautiful."  
  
Nodoka almost lost her hold on the ladder "Ranma!"  
  
Ranma gave his mother a small smile "I wasn't sure you'd come up here. I see everyone's looking for me."  
  
"Ra..Ranma?" Nodoka was starting to worry.  
  
"Tetsuya Tsuki passed away today..."  
  
"I know, Kasumi told me earlier. He had an accident."  
  
"It was no accident Mom. Daigo's men... er, well Daigo ordered for Mr. Tsuki to be killed. I can't ignore this mother."  
  
"So your going..."  
  
"After the Band of the Fist? Yes. Lee says there stationed back at the old school grounds in Kyoto."  
  
"Kyoto? So are you deciding that you truly are a warrior?"  
  
"Once I started the path down that road, I don't think there was ever really any going back. But I tried to fool myself into thinking it was possible."  
  
"But you did change. I know you can still go back to before."  
  
Ranma finally turned away from the stars and looked at his mother. "Do you remember after the wedding when you told me you weren't concerned about me being a man among men anymore. I don't think you know how much that really meant to me. I think that was the happiest moment of my life."  
  
Ranma gave his mother a true heartfelt hug. "I love you, mom."  
  
"R..Ranma?" Nodoka tried to hold in the tears.  
  
"But I'm a warrior, and it's time for me to fight once again." Ranma let go of his mother then flipped into his room. After grabbing his already packed bag he snuck out the dojo's entrance nooding to the figure watching him from the rooftop "Goodbye to you to... Old Ghoul." Ranma whispered so that only he could hear it.  
  
As Ranma disappeared into the night Nodoka finally let her tears fall.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
And so it was on this day that  
Ranma Saotome practitioner of the Cat Fist  
and heir to Anything Goes School began another training trip, this time to face an opponent from his past,  
But for once he went alone.  
***** To Be Continued  
  
Authors notes:  
  
Well here's the second part. I've been wondering about the attack names... should I used English or the Japanese version. (For instance the Cat Fist or Neko-ken, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire or Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken, Breaking point or bakusai tenketsu). Anyway as of right now I'll probably used the Japanese version which I think is actually Chinese, instead of the English translation for attacks from the amazons. while using the English translation for the cat fist. (I'll also be using the shi shi hokodan instead of whatever the English translation is, same thing with Ranma's ki attack.  
  
quail12001@yahoo.com 


	3. part 3

A Ranma 1/2-Rurouni Kenshin fusion Return of the Warrior  
  
By: Q Ranma 1/2 and Rorouni Kenshin do not belong to me and are being used solely for non-profit purposes.  
  
Kasumi stood in the doorway of the guest room with a look of disappointment. 'It's been two days now...I keep hoping that he'll show up again saying that he changed his mind and decided to stay. There's hardly anything still here to remind us of him.' "Poor auntie."  
  
While Kasumi tried to clean the guest room before her thoughts became anymore depressed, Nodoka sat in the dojo. She had spent much of her time in their since her son departed. 'He seemed the most happy when he was in here, training in the art he loved so much. The same art that has lead him to leaving me again.'  
  
Soun and Genma, as per norm, were sitting at the shogi table. As much as they hated the fact that Ranma left on his own, as martial artists they understood that some things just couldn't be ignored.  
  
"Do you believe Ranma can return from facing off against a group of fighters trained from that school?" Soun asked his old friend.  
  
"The boy has a knack for beating the odds Tendo. I'm sure he'll return." Genma for once spoke of his son with out sounding boisterous, but instead as a matter of fact.  
  
"Still Saotome, they all use invincible techniques, can he really take on that many?" Soun pressed on.  
  
"He's not going at it alone, Lee will be with him. They work well together, even if they'll never admit it." Genma never looked up from the game as he spoke, hoping his casual manner would set his friend at ease.  
  
__________  
  
"Jerk"  
  
"Moron"  
  
"Idiot"  
  
Akane continued to whisper to herself as she broke pieces of her desk off during her last class for the day.  
  
Almost everyone around her stared at her with fear in their eyes. The only person not paying her any attention was Ukyo, for she was also trying to deal with Ranma's parting.  
  
'How could he just leave without hardly telling anyone goodbye. I know we haven't been as close since the failed wedding, partly because we didn't want our parents to force another one, but we're still friends. He should've told me goodbye or taken me with him.' Akane thought to herself.  
  
Ukyo wasn't doing any better. 'Dammit Ran-chan! I was finally starting to really have a chance, and now you leave me again. Your mother was starting to really like me and you were spending more time with me, why couldn't you have at least told me you were really going to leave. No way am I going to let you go off and die in some stupid fight and leave me all alone...' Ukyo stood up from her desk "You're not leaving me behing this time jackass! I'll follow you no matter where you go!"  
  
"Please sit down." the teacher called out.  
  
"No! I won't be turned away from my goa-OW!" Ukyo rubbed her forehead where an eraser had just smacked her. "Sorry."  
  
"That's bett..." The teacher trailed off as yet another student stood up.  
  
"Right! That jerk can't just leave like this, I'm going too. I'll show him I'm a real martia-HEY!" Akane blinked as she felt something connect with her forehead as well.  
  
Before the teacher could reprimand her the final bell chimed, signaling the end of the school day.  
  
Ukyo wasted no time in rushing to her restaurant to make preparations for her trip. She'd have to leave the Ucchan's in Konatsu's care... Ranchan was going to pay for forcing her to do this she promised herself.  
  
Noticing Ukyo race home Akane decided to stop by one of the shops on her way home and pick up some supplies. As she started to leave her two friends stopped her.  
  
"Akane, what were you talking about back in class?" Asked Yuka.  
  
"You're not really leaving again are you?" Sayuri pleaded.  
  
"Sorry guys but I can't let my... friend go off on some stupid journey to face a super martial artist alone. So yeah, I'm leaving as soon as I stop and pick up some supplies and tell everyone back home bye." Akane gave her friends a sad smile before leaving.  
  
Sayuri and Yuka watched Akane leave before they heard someone come up behind them. Nabiki ignored their worried looks when they saw her. "What's this I hear of Akane making some proclamation in class?" she demanded.  
  
"Well..." Sayuri looked at Yuki while stammering.  
  
Yuka decided to just spill it "She's going after Ranma."  
  
Nabiki shook her head "Why am I not surprised. Did she already head home?"  
  
Sayuri spoke next "No she was going to stop and pick up some supplies first."  
  
"I see, well see you girls later." Nabiki waved off before heading in the same direction that Akane left in.  
  
None of them noticed they were being watched. *****  
  
As Mousse put away the chairs Cologne sat off to the side trying to ignore the banging from the cooking area. 'I think Shampoo is taking Ranma's leaving rather well.' Cologne was happy that Shampoo took her frustrations out on the food she was cooking instead of Mousse... after all Cologne actually needed him for something for once.  
  
Shampoo continued to manual make the mix instead of using a beater. 'Dumb Airen, why didn't he take me with him? He knows I'm an Amazon warrior! He probably was thinking his macho thoughts again about not wanting women to fight.' Shampoo suddenly grinned 'I am an Amazon warrior and we never let our men get away... well except the ones we don't care for.'  
  
Cologne cocked her head to the side as the sound of cooking coming from the kitchen calmed down. 'So Shampoo have you made your decision?' Cologne smiled to herself. *****  
  
Akane was surprised to run into Ryouga on the way to the store and told him of her plan to follow Ranma.  
  
"There's no need for you to go. I'm planning on finding Ranma myself." Ryouga tried to dissuade her.  
  
"You're not trying to say I'm not good enough to help... you know I'm a martial artist too." Akane narrowed her eyes.  
  
"No, no, no, I just mean I don't think your family wants you to leave you know." Ryouga waved his arms frantically.  
  
"How true." Came Nabiki's voice from behind them.  
  
"Nabiki?" Akane hadn't wanted Nabiki to know until she was already halfway out of Nerima. 'I know she's goint to try and stop me.'  
  
"Akane what do you think you're doing! After what happened in China you shouldn't be getting involved in these things." Nabiki spoke without her usual cool tone.  
  
"Um ladies, you've been followed." Ryouga announced while looking past Nabiki at the man walking up on them.  
  
The two girls turned to see Lee approaching them with a frown on his face. "What are you planning?" he asked.  
  
Ryouga glared at him "I heading after Ranma. Something wrong with that?"  
  
"WE'RE heading to Kyoto." Akane corrected.  
  
"Actually yes, there's definitely something wrong with that. Regular martial artists like you would only make matters worse. A fundamental principle in battle is to attack the enemy's weakest point. Which would make you Daigo's first target. Ranma can't watch over you all as he is now." Lee lectured the three, even though he was referring to Ryouga mostly.  
  
Picking up on that Ryouga spoke up "What exactly are you saying?"  
  
"You all are nothing more than weaknesses to Ranma, that's why he left by himself." Lee smirked at the anger on Akane's face and the shock on Ryouga's.  
  
Ryouga lowered is head letting his bangs cover his eyes 'Ranma doesn't think I'm good enough? Does he really think we'll just get in the way?'  
  
"My demonstration on you back at the dojo was to show him that. Your beating would be for nothing if you were to go Kyoto anyway, so be a good boy and stay here where you belong." Lee ordered.  
  
"Now just wait a minute! You can't just tell..." Akane began.  
  
"Screw that! Now I want to find that jerk even more! So why don't you move before I have to make you!" Ryouga snarled.  
  
"Make me? Go for it." Lee smirked once more.  
  
Ryouga ran at Lee and tried to elbow him with his right arm. Before he closed the last few couple of feet to reach him, he received a swift kick to his injured shoulder. Lee punched Ryouga into the alley beside them as Ryouga went to grabbed his wound.  
  
As Ryouga stumbled into the alley Lee jumped at him and delivered a kick to his shoulder again. Ryouga dropped to his knees in pain. Akane came running behind Lee intent of tackling him to stop him from attacking Ryouga. She froze in her tracks as he looked at her with his peircing green eyes. Trying to gain control of her nerves, she fought out the words "You're cheating, you keep going for his hurt shoulder since it hasn't healed!"  
  
"Exactly. I not fighting fair am I. Well neither will Daigo. I'm not trying to be mean, but this is how it will be in Kyoto. The only rule in the fights that await in Kyoto is kill or be killed. You kids have no place there so stay away, is that understood." Lee's gaze never left Akane's eyes.  
  
"Why should I listen to you?!" Akane started to roll up her sleaves.  
  
"A-Akane stay out of this... Lee, I'm not done yet. My shoulder feels fine compared to what I feel for Ranma thinking of me as worthless!" Ryouga punched at Lee with the same right arm.  
  
Even though Lee blocked the attack he was forced out of the alley. "Now move it Lee! I'll show Ranma that he can't ignore my strength when I see him in Kyoto!" Ryouga roared out.  
  
"That's right!" Akane cheered.  
  
Nabiki didn't seem as convinced as they did however 'Ryouga isn't doing to well a job right now...'  
  
"Your strength? Funny I don't recall you having that much in you last time we fought" Lee returned.  
  
"What?!" Ryouga fist clenched.  
  
"Don't fall for it Ryouga!" Akane called out.  
  
"What a pain... Tell you what, to make it clearer to you I'll fight you with just my legs." Lee's smile almost seemed good natured.  
  
"Don't believe him, he'll probably throw his shoe at you or something." Akane warned Ryouga.  
  
"I don't think you like me much." Lee replied sarcastically.  
  
"I guess you're smarter than you look." Akane called back.  
  
'Not bad Akane.' Nabiki was somewhat surprised that Akane was handling the situation so well, she expected Akane to be laid out thanks to trying to attack Lee with a mallet by now.  
  
Lee continued smiling "Don't worry I'll keep my word. If I can beat this pig with just my legs then he won't be able to ignore the facts."  
  
"Alright let's do it!" Ryouga didn't waste any time as he charged Lee.  
  
Lee danced around Ryouga's punches connecting with light kicks to Ryouga's thighs to soften them up. Ryouga continued to throw puches at speed that not even he could tell where they were going. 'He might not let me kick him in return, but with him throwing all those kicks one of my punches has to have connected.' Ryouga paused to observe his handiwork. He was shock to say the least when he found that none of his punches found a mark.  
  
"Did you think I would be defenseless while kicking you? I guess that might be true for some fighters..." Lee pretended to think about it.  
  
"Did you see that?" Nabiki asked her sister.  
  
"Yeah, he dodged all those punches like Ranma would, all while still kicking." Akane couldn't help but be impressed.  
  
"I guess I got a little to wild with my punches if they couldn't connect." Ryouga told himself.  
  
"Counterattacking my kicks with punches that don't land isn't counterattacking at all." Lee informed him.  
  
"Round Two!" Ryouga tried to throw punches and kicks before Lee could even start any of his own. After blocking the low kicks with his legs and ducking any thing higher, Lee bounced back a few steps and then slide forward taking out one of Ryouga's legs before spinning on the ground and taking out Ryouga's other one. As Ryouga jumped back to feet from off the ground, Lee was already up and waiting. Lee actually ran up Ryouga's chest before springboarding off his face with a strong kick using both feet.  
  
Ryouga slammed into the ground, while Nabiki and Akane gasped in shock. "He's even better than I thought..." Nabiki looked at her sister who was staring with her mouth wide open.  
  
'I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this, I mean he fought the cat fist to a stand still.' Akane thought to herself.  
  
"Accept it, compared to Ranma and myself you just can't compete as you are know. You have a long way to go to be of any use in Kyoto and we don't have enough time to wait for you." Lee began to face the girls.  
  
"Whatever." Ryouga spat out as he stood back up.  
  
'He's still determined to fight me?' Lee gave the kid credit for determination.  
  
"You can't stop me from going to Kyoto no matter how hard you try." Ryouga shook his head to get the ringing out.  
  
"Sorry, but I can't have that..." Lee lifted his left leg into the air while standing straight on his right.  
  
"Now what?" Wasn't it bad enough with out Lee pulling out weird stances left and right Akane thought to herself. "Be careful Ryouga I don't know what he's planning."  
  
"Give up. With all the different kicks I've given you your legs are about ready to give up. Determination and strong words aren't enough to close the distance between you and me." Lee called out then began to spin toward Ryouga alternating between having his left leg raised and his right leg supporting with his right leg lifted and his left being stood on. As he spun closer he picked up speed until he almost seemed like a twisting top.  
  
Ryouga desperately thought of a counter before gambling. He took his belt and threw like a javeline at Lee's legs. Lee's spin abruptly stopped as he almost tripped on the now loose belt. "How's that? Even with my skills at this level I can find a way around your so called distance. I bet you're surprised huh?" Ryouga grinned at Lee's angered face. "You and the others all started like me so don't act like I'm some kid trying to tag along with the big boys."  
  
Lee smacked Ryouga upside his head with the belt before walking away. "Fine. I'm tired of wasting my time with you. If you're that eager to get yourself killed then be my guest."  
  
"Hey!" Ryouga cried out indignantly.  
  
"Heed my words, those who ignore defense and try to get by on natural abilities won't make it out of the battlefield that Kyoto will become." Lee warned him.  
  
As the three of them watched Lee walk away, Nabiki was the first to speak up. "I guess that means you won this one."  
  
"I knew you could do it Ryouga." Akane congratulated him.  
  
Ryouga laughed in embarresment at Akane's comment "I guess so..." While Ryouga got a hold of himself Akane continued "Now we have to get your shoulder looked at again."  
  
'Wait a minuet! My shoulder, he didn't attack my shoulder during our fight. He only went for my legs, chest and face. He was just playing with me. I'm really starting to hate student from that school.' Ryouga thought to himself. "That's alright Akane, I really should get going. I don't know how long it'll take for me to reach Kyoto." Ryouga began to walk in a random direction.  
  
Akane stopped Ryouga from leaving "Wait! I said we were both going to Kyoto, so help me get what I need so we can hurry up and leave."  
  
Ryouga looked at Akane, he really wanted to tell her no but he just didn't have the strength to. "Okay let's get this over with."  
  
"Nabiki tell everyone where I'm going." Akane told her older sister.  
  
"What? You're not going to tell them?" Nabiki blinked at her.  
  
"Well Ryouga is in a hurry... besides, they'll probably try to stop me. So bye sis." Akane gave Nabiki a long hug.  
  
"Fine, but you better come back." Nabiki got out.  
  
"I know Ranma... and Ryouga will make sure I do." Akane blushed.  
  
While the sisters talked, Ryouga was busy thinking to himself 'I have to get better, a whole lot better. I will be strong enough when I get to Kyoto!' *****  
  
Kasumi prepared herself for the heartbreaking sight that she was sure to find within the dojo. 'Come on Kasumi you need to get her out of there... she needs to eat and get some sleep.'  
  
On the other side of the door sat Nodoka who was now staring out into space. 'I couldn't do anything to stop him. I was right there with him before he left and yet I couldn't make him stay. When he started to truly open up to me I just froze, I had waited for that moment for so long, and before I new it, it was over.' "Ranma..."  
  
Back outside Kasumi heard the soft whisper of Nodoka and couldn't stand it. Sliding the doors open she called out to the older women. "Auntie? Are you alright?" 'stupid, stupid, stupid of course she's not.' "I think you should come inside the house, maybe get something to eat." As Kasumi tried to help her up, Kasumi couldn't help but note the way the women seemed to move mechanically to wherever Kasumi guided her. 'Why aren't you doing anything uncle?' Kasumi tried to keep her anger in check.  
  
Genma actually was in the guest room himself. 'Boy, I believe in you, I know you'll come back... after all your mother is here waiting for you.' Genma heaved a sad sigh 'I wasn't even here to see him off, I wonder if he even thought about me before he left.' *****  
  
'That Lee guy is amazing, and Ryouga's no slouch either. I hope he takes care of my sister... maybe it would be better if he got both of them lost and completely missed Kyoto until it was all over...' Nabiki muses were cut short by a familiar voice.  
  
"Well hello child, do you mind if we accompany you?" Cologne asked with her granddaughter and Mousse by her side. The younger amazon woman had a traveling pack with her.  
  
"Why do you want to go to my house?" Nabiki had a pretty good idea what the pack was for.  
  
"Why to see if Kasumi or you could help tell us where son-in-law was going." Cologne answered.  
  
"Well I know where he's going but why didn't you plan to ask Auntie Saotome?" Nabiki wondered it perhaps the Amazons had some sort of trick up their sleeves.  
  
Cologne blinked at the question "Well with Nodoka going after Ranma..." She trailed off at Nabiki's confused expression. "She did go after him didn't she?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head "No, actually she's been sitting in the dojo getting really depressed the last two days."  
  
Cologne narrowed her eyes "I see." *****  
  
Kasumi sat the bowl of soup in front of Nodoka "Please eat this." She waited as Nodoka simply stared at the bowl. "Auntie..." Kasumi bit her botton lip 'what should I do? I have no idea how she feels and Genma is hiding in the guest room. I wish someone else could help me...'  
  
As if in answer to her request the front door opened. "What's this?" asked Cologne as she finally laid eyes on her son-in-law's mother.  
  
"Elder?" Kasumi asked in surprise. 'Why is she here' Kasumi didn't see anyone with her.  
  
"Mrs. Saotome, just what are you doing still here?" Cologne asked. Kasumi flinched at the tone she used, it didn't sound sympathetic.  
  
Nodoka blinked at the voice of an older women. "E-excuse me?"  
  
"Why are you sitting in the dining room at a time like this?" Cologne almost seemed to be interrogating the distraught mother. "Why aren't you heading for Kyoto? I expected more from a strong Japanese women like you."  
  
"E-elder?" Kasumi gulped.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean. My son has left me for a second time and you ask me what I'm doing sitting here!" Nodoka face finally showed signs of life again.  
  
"Is this what you truly want? To sit here wishing for that your son never left like ten years ago?" Cologne questioned.  
  
"No. I want my son..." Nodoka answered.  
  
"Then that should be your goal."  
  
"I couldn't..."  
  
"So you're going to sit here and make the same mistake that you did all those years ago?"  
  
"If I'm not mistaken didn't your Granddaughter travel all the way to Japan alone without you following her?" 'The nerve of this woman!' Nodoka seethed.  
  
"Watch yourself Saotome Nodoka, I am an elder to our village, if I had been able I would have followed my grand daughter here. I would have followed many of the children who leave our village if not for the fact that I had to stay to make sure they had a village to return to. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to come to Japan this time though, and I did so without hesitation. You on the other hand do not have such obligations, so why haven't you left?" Cologne asked her again. "Ranma is going there with the knowledge that he could very well loose his life, will you let his good bye two days ago be the last memory you have of him? Do you know how many young girls have told the village good bye never to return?"  
  
"You don't understand what it's like to have your own flesh and blood leave, knowing that there is a possibility that they won't be returning!" Nodoka yelled back.  
  
Cologne pointed her cane at Nodoka "No child you don't understand! You have never had to say good bye to a daughter with the knowledge that she would not be returning as a guarantee!" Cologne showed true anger at that point as her eyes watered. "Your son is about to face a deadly foe and when someone fights a battle with such an opponent often the only thing that keeps them from failing is their heart. Don't let your son fight this battle feeling that he has no one there for him to keep close to his heart." With that Cologne walked out. *****  
  
During Cologne's conversation with Nodoka, Nabiki and her guests stood by the gate as the watched Ukyo approach. Shampoo's eyes were glued to Ukyo's, more than likely due to the fact that the young chef was carrying a pack similar to her own.  
  
"Spatula girl."  
  
"Chinese bimbo."  
  
Nabiki and Mousse sweatdrop as the two women glared at each other. After several tense moments of silence Nabiki spoke up. "So both of you are planning to head for Kyoto?"  
  
"Kyoto? that's where Ran-chan's going?" Ukyo asked. 'It was easier finding out where he was going than I thought.'  
  
"Yep, and Akane and Ryouga have already left." Nabiki smirked at the looks Ukyo and Shampoo sported. She blinked at Mousse who seemed to be extremely depressed. "What's wrong with you, Mousse?"  
  
"Don't mind him, he's just upset because grandma's making him warn our village in case Ranma doesn't win." Shampoo waved off Nabiki's concern with out taking her eyes off Ukyo.  
  
Letting out a sigh Ukyo finally spoke to her 'rival' "Look Shampoo you can glare at me all you want, you know I'm not going to fold and stay here. Now that I know where to go I'll just tell auntie goodbye and be on my way."  
  
Shampoo finally dropped her stare and replied. "Wait for grandma to finish talking to her, I think she might go to Kyoto also."  
  
Nabiki looked at Shampoo "What? You mean Cologne went to tell auntie to go to Kyoto!"  
  
"That's correct child." Nabiki jumped at the voice from behind her. Spotting Cologne smiling at her Nabiki calmed her nerves. "Shampoo I would like you to accompany Mrs. Saotome... Hello Ms. Kounji I take it you plan on going too?" Cologne turned towards the two girls at the gate.  
  
"Um... yeah" Ukyo hopped Cologne didn't try to stop her.  
  
"Good. I would appreciate it if you also joined Shampoo and Mrs. Saotome." Cologne chuckled at Ukyo expression. "I wouldn't want my granddaughter to go on this trip without someone her own age going along, Besides two people can better protect someone than one."  
  
Ukyo finally closed her gaping mouth. "Really? Well... Okay." 'Hmm, I can still get in good with Ran-chan's mother and keep a eye on Shampoo in Kyoto.'  
  
Cologne turned serious "The two of you will need to pick up your training. Shampoo take this scroll with you, it describes some basic ki principles. With this you AND Ukyo will be able to hopefully hold your own in Kyoto."  
  
"I'll make you proud." Shampoo nodded with determination.  
  
"Alright, now go make your plans for leaving with Mrs. Saotome. Mousse come with me back to the restaurant." Cologne hopped away while Mousse stared at Shampoo. As the young man began to open his mouth Shampoo cut him off.  
  
"I'm still upset with you for trying to help Lee hurt Airen." Shampoo turned away and walked alongside Nabiki and Ukyo towards the house.  
  
"Shampoo..." Mousse trailed off before walking away dejectedly. *****  
  
"A-Auntie?" Ukyo asked as she and Shampoo stood beside each other by the doorway into the dining room.  
  
Nodoka seemed to come out of a trance as she heard the new voice. "Oh, hello Ukyo and Shampoo what are you two doing here... why are you two carrying those packs?"  
  
"We're going after Airen of course." Shampoo stated.  
  
"Yeah... um aren't you going too?" Ukyo looked from Shampoo back to Nodoka.  
  
"I... I don't know?" Nodoka looked at her hands "Would Ranma be upset?"  
  
"Who cares, everybody else in town seems to be going." Nabiki shrugged. "I mean Ryouga and Akane already left, Ukyo and Shampoo will be, Lee obviously is going there..."  
  
"WHAT!" Kasumi shouted. "What do you mean she's already left?"  
  
"Um well, Akane was talking to Ryouga earlier making plans to buy supplies and then telling everbody goodbye, but with Ryouga's sense of direction they figured they couldn't waste any time." Nabiki slinked away from her sister. 'She doesn't blow up to often, but when she does...' Nabiki let a slight shudder pass through her.  
  
"See! we can't let Ranma leave us again right?!" Shampoo tried to rally Nodoka onward.  
  
"Like you auntie, I had to go years without him, I won't let him put me through that again, will you?" Ukyo held Nodoka hand while peering into her eyes.  
  
Nodoka looked from Ukyo to Shampoo 'They willing to take the chance and chase after him, can I do no less for my son?' "Al-alright I'll go." She was surprised when Ukyo gave her a hug. *****  
  
The next day found everyone who was left in Nerima at the edge of town. Well except for the Kuno's. "I still don't think you should go, we should let the boy handle this own his own." Genma grumbled 'She's going to soften the boy up before his big fight, I just know it!'  
  
"Regardless... please try to find my baby girl. WAAHHH! She's all alone with that Habiki boy, getting lost who knows where! WAAHHH!" Soun well... wailed.  
  
"Still should you guys be going by foot as well?" Nabiki grimaced, she wasn't one for long hikes.  
  
"Well the girls and I do need to train if we're going to be getting mixed up in all of this." Nodoka smiled at Nabiki and Kasumi.  
  
"You will call us when you get to Kyoto, right?" Kasumi almost pleaded to Nodoka.  
  
"Of course I will"  
  
Cologne was the next to speak up "Remember there is Amazon restaurant in Kyoto called the 'Swan's bistro' you can stay at. Now go and hurry back with son-in-law." Cologne smiled at the three women.  
  
"I wish to thank you Elder for the talk yesterday... I don't know what I would be doing right now otherwise." Nodoka gave a slight bow to Cologne.  
  
"No need to thank me child." Cologne gave her own bow. *****  
  
Somewhere very far from Tokyo or Kyoto... "Um Ryouga I think we're lost..." Akane spoke up. "...again." 'Every time we get back on a trail to Kyoto we end up getting lost!'  
  
"Don't worry Akane we not lost, I come this way all the time." Ryouga assured her.  
  
'Yeah I bet you do, we've come this way a dozen times in just the past two days alone.' Akane tried to calm down... she really couldn't be upset with Ryouga over something he couldn't control... well she couldn't get upset with him yet.  
  
"I think we should get in some practice Ryouga. What do you think?" Akane tried to think about something besides they current situation of being hopelessly lost.  
  
"Alright I guess..." Ryouga really didn't want to spar with Akane... 'What do I do when I can't fight her but I can't tell her no. Damn it Ranma this has got to be your fault.' *****  
  
Ranma got that tingly feeling that someone was blaming something on him for the umpteenth time in his life. 'I wonder who it is this time... it doesn't matter. Man, I never expected to be heading back to the school ever again.'  
  
Ranma continued to walk letting his aura slightly surround him to keep people from getting to close to him. He remembered the reason he gave Lee for that decision...  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"How did everyone take your farewell?"  
  
It was dark out near the outskirts of Nerima as Ranma continued his walk. He had just finished telling goodbye to his mother and was not in the best of moods when he heard the question. Ranma stared at the smile on Lee's face. "Touchy subject? Sorry 'bout that. Since we'll be fighting together again I guess we should be friendlier to each other." Lee continued to smile.  
  
"Friendlier?" Ranma raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, after all it'll pretty much be just you and me against Daigo. Yamaguchi is going to be busy trying to calm everyone down about Daigo's recent assassinations."  
  
"Just you and me huh, how lovely." Ranma didn't actually sound that thrilled.  
  
"It sure is" Lee smirked "Anyway come on, I have a police escort waiting for us."  
  
"I'd rather not." Was Ranma's curt reply.  
  
Lee blinked "And why not? Don't like cars, you'd rather walk to Kyoto. Like you swam to China instead of taking a boat?" Lee joked.  
  
"Yeah right, like I wanted to swim there. I just don't want to take the chance of Daigo trying to stop us and putting innocent people in danger when doing it. Like with Tetsuya, a lot of people could have been hurt by a runaway car." Ranma explained.  
  
"Ranma, you know a warrior can't always choose his battlefield. Or are you still thinking like a foolish martial artist... because if you are I guess I'll have to remind you of what you really are." Lee started to remove his glasses.  
  
Ranma dropped his pack "Don't try to itimidate me, you won't change my decision."  
  
"Whatever. But know this, Daigo already knows your plan for making it to Kyoto more than likely. Our fight with him has already started."  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
Ranma continued to keep an eye out for anyone who might be after him as he walked. 'I wonder if and when will he attack me directly... What is your plan Daigo Mitsurigi?'  
  
"Hey look! that guy's glowing." Said a young boy playing outside in a park. His friends looked over and pointed in surprise. "He really is glowing!" Cried out another. Soon the kids started to run towards Ranma. "I wonder if we can touch it?" Ranma heard one of them say.  
  
"H-hey calm down guys..." Ranma called back as he tried to pick up the pace. This only caused the children to run even faster. "Crap!" He shouted before jumping into the trees and taking off as the children continued to try to keep up. *****  
  
Kasumi was busy cleaning up when she felt something was off. Stopping in her duties she listened to hear if anyone was in. Nabiki was supposed to be in school and her father and Genma were out, dragged by Cologne, to see if they could find Happosai. Cologne probably wanted to find out if he had any information about the school, while Soun and Genma probably wanted him to bring back Akane and perhaps even Ranma.  
  
Not knowing what drew her outside Kasumi entered the dojo only to gasp in shock. "It's you! Ryu Kumon!"  
  
Indeed, standing in the dojo with a travel pack across his shoulders was the former user of half of the Saotome forbidden techniques. The young man turned towards her, Kasumi had to fight to not let a second gasp escape her lips at the sight of his eyes. 'They look almost dead!' "What are you doing here? I thought you settled everything with Ranma." Kasumi managed to get her voice to work.  
  
"My fight against Ranma is not something for you to concern yourself with. Just tell me where he is and I'll leave you in peace and good health." Ryu slowly approached her. Before he could get any closer a new voice stopped him.  
  
"Young Saotome is headed for Kyoto, Kumon." Lee grinned at the boy.  
  
"And you are?" Kumon questioned the man standing by koi pond.  
  
"You can call me Kyoji. I happen to work with the government." Lee continued.  
  
Ryu looked him up and down "You actually fit the description of Leon Max, a practitioner of the 'Serpent's tongue', a man widely known in Kyoto."  
  
"Well now, where did you here about that?" If Lee was surprised by the statement he showed no sign.  
  
"During my travels I stayed at dojo in the area who at one timed trained student who couldn't make it into the 'School of the Fang' but still showed promise." Ryu clenched his fist at the mention of 'the dojo' he stayed at.  
  
"I see. Well since you're here let me bring you up to speed on what's going on around here..." Lee began not sensing the other presence in the home who was listening intently.  
  
After finishing the explanation Lee waited for Kumon's response. "Daigo Mitsurugi? Ranma is planning on fighting him in Kyoto." Ryu seemed to think about it for a while before starting for the exit to the Tendo home.  
  
"So what do you plan Kumon?" Lee continued to grin at him.  
  
"Ranma will defeat this Mitsurugi person and afterwards he will loose to me." Kumon returned from over his shoulders as he left.  
  
"Interesting. He seems different, I can't wait to see what he has up his sleeve." Lee stated as he watched Kumon leave.  
  
"That wasn't very nice you know." came a voice from behind Lee. He turned around to face the women. "Really? I was trying to keep him from bothering you, besides we just might need him in Kyoto." Lee continued his annoying grinning.  
  
"You're right we could use him in Kyoto..." The figure hidden in the house commented to herself. *****  
  
"Fight back!" Akane screamed at Ryouga who still dodging or shrugging off her blows. They had been practicing for a while now and Ryouga still hadn't thought of a solution to his problem. 'Man, when are we going to get to Kyoto?!" *****  
  
"This is sooooo boring!" Ukyo called out from her position on the ground beside a grumbling Shampoo.  
  
"Come now girls if you want to get this technique down you're going to have to concentrate." Nodoka commented while going through a few of her sword drills.  
  
"Sitting here trying to become one with nature is too too... um I mean really hard." Shampoo was definitely getting frustrated and it showed, or at least was heard. 'Stupid scroll...what kind of technique makes you sit in the dirt all day while meditating!' *****  
  
'Why won't they just leave me ALONE!' Ranma screamed to himself as he continued to duck and dodge girls and young kids. Shouts of "Look at the cute guy running this way!" or the opposite "Look at the cute guy getting away!" had replaced the earlier "look at the guy glowing". Ranma didn't know which was worst until he turned a corner and realized it didn't matter compared to where he had just ended up.  
  
"CATS!" Ranma quickly exited the alley. *****  
  
Ryu slowed down as he came upon his campsite. Sitting around the clearing were 3 men, all of whom seemed to have the bodies of football players on steroids.  
  
"What the hell are you all doing here?" Kumon asked. The three men finally took notice of him as he spoke up. They grinned and began to place themselves at his right, left, and center.  
  
The one in front of him choose to speak. "We're... students of Daigo Mitsurugi. You've been selected to join him as well. You should feel special, even as his students we don't get taught personally by him because of how important he is. The fact that he noticed you is very special indeed."  
  
"Sorry but I don't appreciate offers brought to me by underlings, if he had come himself then maybe... but as it is I shall ask you to leave, if you continue to pester me I will get rid of you and your 'teacher' if he bothers me as well." Kumon replied to the offer.  
  
The three men nodded to one another than they all attacked at once. One went for a sweep while the second tried to jump on him from above, while the third went to kick him in his chest. Before any any of them could blink Kumon appeared in the air above them all. Even as they looked up at him they felt their chests explode in pain. As they all began to loose conciousness they briefly saw numerous dents in their chests in the shape of fists.  
  
Once he landed he kicked one of the fighters for good measure. A voice from... somewhere was heard by Kumon. Hastily spinning around He came face to face with a blue haired kid. "I guess you're here to represent Daigo?"  
  
She clasped her hands in front of herself with hopeful eyes.  
  
"Um well, I really don't plan on working with anyone... um, no offense or anything, but I mean didn't you send those guys here knowing there were going to lose to me. That's not the type of thing I would want from my teammate." Ryu was caught off guard by her odd behavior, not to mention the fact that she hadn't actually spoken a single work, but thought he recovered fairly well.  
  
Ayame scrunched up her face in thought. She looked at him questioningly.  
  
"*Ahem* Yeah well..." Ryu trailed off. 'Damn that Daigo for sending some weird little girl to throw me off my game!'  
  
Ayame waved goodbye.  
  
"By- damnit." Ryu caught himself from telling the evil girl goodbye. After she left Ryu continued to think to himself. 'Father I took you life with my own hands... hands that couldn't defeat some arrogant jerk. The only way to make peace with you is to do the same to him. And the sooner the better.' *****  
  
Ayame reached a second clearing further down from Ryu's where Daigo sat with his 'assistants' enjoying the early evening weather.  
  
the figure of the girl disappeared as her question was received by Daigo.  
  
"Absolutely, did you see the way he handled those buffoons I sent after him." Daigo smirked.  
  
the voice came through again.  
  
"That's probably because he wasn't fighting Ranma. Don't worry when the time comes he'll be more than ready to handle Ranma." Daigo assured.  
  
"I think I should reintroduce myself to my calmer counterpart." Daigo answered.  
  
"Calmer counterpart? You mean the cat fist fighter." One of the two women beside him assumed.  
  
"Precisely."  
  
stated the other voice.  
  
"And why not? I'm about to revolutionize Japan." Daigo gave a mad grin. *****  
  
Akane almost felt like crying "This has got to be the 100th. time we've circled this spot at least!" After saying that she dropped to her knees.  
  
"Do you really think we've been here before." Ryouga asked.  
  
"Ryouga..." Akane began calmly "There's the spot where I malleted you into the ground the last 99 times we've been here!" Akane pointed at a huge crater in the ground.  
  
"Hey you might be right!" Ryouga agreed right before Akane decided to make it 100.  
  
"Ryouga you idiot!" *****  
  
Nabiki, Soun, and Genma sweated at the dinner table as Kasumi decided to make everthing they were eating a little to 'well done'... even the food that wasn't meat.  
  
'I hope everyone will be Okay... That Daigo person along with Lee and now even the Kumon boy will be there to them trouble.' *****  
  
"I want a bath!" Shampoo screamed as she finally broke out of the dirt she was buried... er, laying under. She stood with a huge yellow aura around her. Ukyo looked at her then looked back at the dirt still on top of her. 'Damn Amazon' she wasn't sure if she should be angry or not about the fact that she actually was referring to an Amazon instead of just a extra buff women. "I'll get this... yet!" Ukyo's own yellow aura parted the dirt from around her. It wasn't quite as big as Shampoo's but Ukyo wasn't complaining at the moment.  
  
"You-you did it." Shampoo was in shock. 'Sure I knew I'd get eventually, I mean grandma has been training me since I was young in the Amazon arts. But Spat... Ukyo? Her fighting style hardly has any hand to hand. I guess I've been underestimating her.'  
  
"O-of course I did it." Ukyo dropped to her knees. Shampoo quickly rushed to her side. "We gotta' help Ran-chan right? I'll do whatever it takes to help him."  
  
Shampoo helped her up. 'You'd make a great Amazon...' Shampoo admitted. It was a shame they were rivals. 'Then again...' Shampoo started before shaking her head. 'It would never work, right?' *****  
  
Ranma passed through another town by the roofs 'I ain't taking any more chances walking by foot until I get to the woods. After all those girls saw me with my pack they all kept asking me if I needed a place to stay the night. What's even worse is when I almost agreed a couple of times. Stupid cat fist.' Ranma thought to himself as he finally entered into a forest.  
  
After setting up camp Ranma sat down to take a breather. 'Man, on the road all on my own, it's kind of cool. But, I bet everyone was really upset that I left like I did. Heh, with my luck they'll probably chase me down for running out' Ranma started laughing to himself before he got a horrible feeling of impending doom. 'Please don't let that mean what I think It means...'  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Ranma blinked at the female cry. "Thank goodness. this is probably why I had that horrible feeling, I was really worried it meant everybody really was coming to get me..." Ranma wiped his head as he headed deeper into the forest toward the sound.  
  
Ranma snuck up on the scene of four men surrounding a young woman. 'Ah man, how pathetic. I thought maybe I was going to see one of Daigo's fighters. It's kind of odd though, why is this women in the middle of the forest alone, it doesn't look like the guys forced her here.' While Ranma wondered about the exact situation, the women spoke up.  
  
"I don't know..." She seemed to be thinking to herself as she backed away.  
  
"Come on. You acted all impressed when you heard who we were. Don't back out now." Said one of the men who was pretty scrawny, making Ranma wonder who they could possible be to impress anyone.  
  
The others all nodded in unison, saying things Ranma wished he hadn't heard. "Did you all really get all that money?" The, as Ranma guessed, easily impressed girl asked. When one of the men pulled out a small bag of bills the young womans posture changed dramatically. While the men took it as a sign of her becoming more willing, Ranma saw it for what it was. 'If I didn't know better I'd think that she was about to make one of those crazy Kodachi like entrances...' If only he could have been wrong, for at that very moment...  
  
*Swoosh* the trench coat and hat was thrown to the wind and before the, obviously, criminals and the hiding Ranma stood a girl maybe a year or two younger than Ranma. "All right busters! Hand over the money!" The red headed girl asked. Ranma silently facefalted, not an easy task, at young girl in the ninja get-up. The four men blinked then blinked again.  
  
"Um... She's kind of young..."  
  
"Yeah, but I've never seen red hair like that before..."  
  
"She's a little under-developed..."  
  
"You have bigger breasts then she does Yota."  
  
Ranma almost laughed at the last line. The young ninja girl fumed at their comments before launching herself at them.  
  
"You watch your mouth!" She landed a flying knee to one man as she passed him by, easily taking him out. The other three men looked at their friend and then each other. "Had he been drinking?" one asked, the others just shrugged.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?!" The apparently upset girl went for the one who must have been Yota, with his large size and all, and connected with a kick to his groin area. Needless to say, he went down... hard. As the other two tried to jump her from behind she jumped towards them with her back still facing them. Raising both her elbows, she staggered them both when she connected. She finished them both off with two well placed kicks to the temple. "I guess that's that. Men are so stupid, they always follow their smaller heads." She informed the passed out men as she took the bag of money.  
  
"Those guys were pathetic. Loosing to a girl pickpocket that easily." Ranma shook his head sadly at the man lying on the ground as he walked out of his hiding place.  
  
"W-who are you? And what did you say about them loosing to me?" The young thief inquired.  
  
"Huh? who me? I'm just a nobody passing through." Ranma hoped she wouldn't ask him about her second question again.  
  
"Wait, you called me a pickpocket!" She pointed at him.  
  
"Well... yeah. You are aren't you?" Ranma blinked at her accusation.  
  
"No, I'm a ninja." She placed her hands on her hips.  
  
"Sure you are." Ranma tried to placate her. "A pickpocketing ninja." he grinned.  
  
"Right." She smiled before blinking. "HEY! Alright pal I'll show you what this 'pickpocket ninja' can do!" So saying the young girl jump back to get some room and pointed at him again "No one has ever seen me work without paying for it!"  
  
Ranma summed it up in two words. 'This sucks' *****  
  
To Be Continued  
  
quail12001@yahoo.com 


	4. part 4

A Ranma 1/2-Rurouni Kenshin fusion Return of the Warrior  
  
By: Q Ranma 1/2 and Rorouni Kenshin do not belong to me and are being used solely for non-profit purposes.  
  
"Look why don't we just talk about this?" offered Ranma "I mean, why beat up some innocent guy in the woods.?"  
  
"I guess... but still you saw me steal from those guys." She gave Ranma a pointed look.  
  
"Yeah about that... If I'm not mistaken they were thieves right, so why would I care if you stole from them?" The innocence in his voice was almost enough to get her to lay off.  
  
"Really? you don't care?... well alright, I guess I'll let you slide this time." She smiled at him.  
  
'I can't believe I actually got out of a fight.' Ranma congratulated himself "Good, I didn't really feel like picking on some little girl..." Ranma spoke more to himself than her. Unfortunately that didn't stop her from hearing.  
  
"Excuse me?" She began to stalk towards Ranma.  
  
Continuing to walk to his camp site, Ranma didn't bother to turn around to address the girl. "I was just saying how I don't like fighting little girls, well girls in general really."  
  
"I'm not a 'little girl' I'm fifteen years old!" She began to close her fist, just a few more steps and she'd be on him.  
  
"I figured that much. Like I said, a little girl."  
  
"You're mine!" The young girl, well woman pounced upon him leveling a jump kick into his back. Hopping back while trying not to grimace from the pain in her foot the girl looked at her opponent in shock. 'He barely felt that kick!' She continued to gape as he looked at her in a questioning manner. "Holy Mollie! What kind of monster are you?!"  
  
'Holy mollie? what the hell does that mean.' "What? You mean your kick?" Ranma cocked his head to the side. "It was kind of weak. Sure you got most of the tomboy thing goin' on and everything, but you need to work on your strength to finish it."  
  
"What. Did. You. Call. Me?" She stomped with each word.  
  
"But don't worry to much about it, you still got plenty of time to work on that." Ranma tried to cheer her up.  
  
"Alright! This time for real!" The young... woman broke out into a run. As she reached him she threw a haymaker with everything she had.  
  
'I've got the weirdest feeling of deja vu...' Ranma ducked backwards at an almost impossible degree, easily evading the powerful... wait, strong... no, maybe desperate? yes he easily evaded the desperate punch aimed for his head. After righting himself back up Ranma blinked at the girl who seemed completely baffled at the turn of events. "Control your swing a little, it'll help. You should also..." Ranma took a moment to pause and duck the following kick before speaking again. "try not to telegraph your moves so easily." He raised an eyebrow as the girl dived away from him when her body had turned in the opposite direction of him, due to her putting so much strength into her kick.  
  
After diving away in hopes of avoiding the counter she knew her opponent was about to unleash, she sweatdropped as she looked back to notice him just staring at her. 'He didn't even attempt to attack me when my back was to him. Guess I'll have to get him to stop underestimating me with my special technique!' She grinned at him as she stood. "I'll now show you my spe... hey what's that in your hand?"  
  
Ranma smiled sheepishly at her. "Well since you attacked me I guessed it was alright if I borrowed some of your money. It's okay right?" 'That's really not going to work...'  
  
"No it's not okay!" She screamed as she jumped into the air. "Bat Boomerang!" She called out as several oddly shaped... shurikens came out.  
  
'Did she just say bat boomerang?' Ranma sweatdropped before blocking the projectiles with the bag of money he had stolen from the girl, who had stolen it from the men, who had stolen it from... well you get it.  
  
"AHH! the money!" The girl ran over as the money spilt out the bag and flittered to the ground.  
  
"Whoops, Sorry." Ranma bent down to help pick up the money and handed it to the girl. "Well I guess I'll be on my way then." Ranma waved before taking off in a run.  
  
"Hey that was pretty nice of him to actually give me back my money." As the young girl turned around she locked up. 'Wait a minute this money feels a lot lighter than it did when I first took it...' "Son of a... You come back here!"  
  
And so the chase was on. *****  
  
"Crazy ninja girl..." Ranma muttered to himself as he lay on a medium height rooftop back in the town he earlier ran away from. Deciding to get something decent to eat the next day with some of the money he... confiscated from the pickpocket ninja, Ranma rolled out his mat and slept.  
  
The next day found Ranma eating at a small noodle stand. Unfortunately the 'crazy ninja girl' also found Ranma at the noodle stand. "Hey you!" Accustomed to having women shout at him at the most inopportune times Ranma didn't bother to look her way, instead he tossed a few notes of yen at the man serving him and made a bee line for the town exit.  
  
"How dare you run from me!"  
  
Sure that there was no right answer he could give her, Ranma wisely kept his mouth shut. Once he reached the same woods he had tried to camp in day prior, he took to the trees to hopefully lose the girl. Glancing back he heaved a sigh at the sight of her still hot on his trail. Getting tired of trying to loose some wannabe ninja Ranma cried out "Why don't you forget about the money I took, it's not even that much compared to what you still have?"  
  
"I need every yen I can get to make it back to Kyoto!" Was the reply. Ranma froze on the next branch he landed on and swiftly turned to his pursuer "You're headed for Kyoto als... oof!" only to have her jumped into his arms, kind of. It would seem that the young girl still had some training ahead of her when it came to racing across tree limbs, particularly in learning how to stop. *****  
  
"So you say the girl managed to run away and hide, when you thought you had knocked her out?" An imposing man asked Yota.  
  
Even as the sweatdrop appeared on Yota's head he answered his boss. "Yeah, we had roughed her up a little and when we tuned around she was gone... I- I'm sure she's hiding around here somewhere."  
  
His boss decided not to mention the fact that all of his men who had went to rob the small store had returned sporting numerous bruises. "Riiiight. Anyway you better hope we find..."  
  
"Why don't you forget about the money I took, it's not even that much compared to what you still have?"  
  
"I need every yen I can get to make it back to Kyoto!"  
  
"...her." he trailed off lamely as the voices from further down the forest reached them.  
  
Yota blinked then shrugged "I think we found her boss..." *****  
  
As Ranma scrambled to get out of the compromising situation he found himself in, he was laying under the young girl with his arms wrapped around her, he tried to get back to the subject that had originally piqued his interest. "You're going to Kyoto too miss..." Ranma blinked as he remembered she hadn't introduced herself to him.  
  
"Yes I'm going to Kyoto too, and my name's Kaori Ichibana. Um... what do you mean 'too'?" Kaori asked.  
  
"I'm headed to Kyoto as well." Ranma answered. Ranma narrowed his eyes at the girl 'Another young girl martial artist... could Daigo have sent her? Is she hear to draw me into a false sense of security only to stab me in the back? Or maybe she...' Ranma came out of his introspective mood when he felt wandering hands on his body. He sweatdropped at the girl as she patted him down and rubbed some places that he only let Shampoo rub... wait, that didn't come out right. Trying not to think about such guilty pleasures..."Ahem, what are you doing?" Ranma tried to give her a stern look. It's effect was less than desired as the girl ignored him and continued to search his body. Jumping back Ramna tried to cover his body with his hands, realizing what he was doing he quickly drooped his arms and tried to get the girls attention again. "I would appreciate it if you would not rub all over my body."  
  
Kaori blushed a deep cherry color. "I'm not rubbing all over your body! I'm looking for my money. Besides why would I rub your body, I already have a fiancee."  
  
Ranma blinked before opening his mouth only to be beat to the punch by a new voice.  
  
"That's our money, girl."  
  
Ranma and Kaori both were surprised that they were unable to detect the men coming up on them. They each silently blamed the other for distracting them. Ranma took in the appearance of the man in front, He was taller than Ranma and his body was covered in muscle. Behind him were the four goons from the day before. Ranma's eyes scanned the rest of the forest as he sensed even more men approaching them.  
  
"We'll beat you this time for sure girl! With you surrounded like this you can't win." Yota grinned 'I've got a score to settle with that girl for kicking me in my...'  
  
"I thought you all beat her the first time?" His boss asked him.  
  
"Ahehehehe, I mean we'll beat her again this time... Um, this time again? Right, we'll beat her this time again!" Yota threw his arm in the air causing all the men to charge the pair. Yota looked at his boss who hadn't taken his eyes off him yet and decided to charge as well, his boss not far behind.  
  
"There sure are a lot of them, maybe a dozen even...I hope you can take care of some of them, with all that crap you were talking the other day..." Kaori whispered to Ranma as she reached for her shurikens. She eeped as she was picked up by Ranma and watched as he jumped from one mans head to another eventually landing on the outside of the circle the men made. As she was placed on the ground she took a step back from the grinning face of Ranma. "Watch this kid." he told her before he threw himself back into the fray. She sweatdropped as she observed Ranma dodging the blows erratically, never really trying to return any of his own attacks. He seemed to be perfectly content to just insult them, he called them 'slow', 'ugly', 'fat', 'stupid', and even 'pathetic'. After a few moments she thought she had found an actual pattern to his evasions, however she tabled those thought for later as she noticed he had placed himself at the center of the fight again. Rushing in to help him she wondered why he had just throw a punch that connected with no one.  
  
"Hiryu Shoten Ha!" *****  
  
"You could have warned me you know." Was the first words that Kaori spoke.  
  
"Whatever. I got you out of it didn't I?" Ranma argued.  
  
"...Yeah... You know that was pretty amazing." Kaori admitted. "But, my fiancee is even better! The heir to the Anything Goes style..." Kaori went off into some daydream.  
  
Ranma eyes snapped wide open as he gasped at her declaration.  
  
"I wonder if he's finished mastering his families secret techniques? I hope so, then he'll finally be Ranma Saotome MASTER of the Anything Goes style." Kaori raised a fist into the air at the title.  
  
"Ra-Ranma Saotome?" Ranma's voice caught in his throat.  
  
In the blink of an eye Kaori was on him "You know Ranma?"  
  
"Um... well... you know..." Ranma tried to gather himself before he said something stupid.  
  
"You do! You've got to tell me where he is! Did he finish his training? Is he coming back?" Kaori started shooting off questions.  
  
"I... um... don't know...well look, here's the rest of the money I took" Ranma threw it in the air before taking off "Bye!"  
  
Snatching the money out of the air Kaori growled. "I don't think so..."  
  
And the chase resumed. *****  
  
Akane unceremoniously dropped onto her rear end. 'This just isn't working!'  
  
"Akane?" Ryouga tentatively called "You okay?"  
  
"No, I'm not okay! For one thing we're lost and secondly, I can't even get this stupid ki attack to work!" Akane started to grumble to herself "Stupid Ranma can just make up an ki attack like it's nothing... show off."  
  
Ryouga backed off as Akane generated an angry red aura. "I should go practice some more..." He whispered in case she didn't want to be disturbed, after all a disturbed Akane, well disturbed him... *****  
  
"Alright, we have the first part down, now what?" Ukyo asked Shampoo. Ukyo had woken up feeling extremely refreshed considering how out of it she was the day before. 'I wonder if this environmental ki thing has anything to do with it?'  
  
"Shampoo not unders... Excuse me. I don't understand the next part yet." Shampoo answered. 'Impress Airen with improved speech' Shampoo snorted very unladylike 'Grandmother better be right, this is really annoying.'  
  
"Is it strictly in Chinese?" Came Nodoka's motherly voice.  
  
"No is not... No it isn't." Shampoo closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
"It's alright dear. I know learning a new language must be diffucult. But at least you actually are doing it, and well if I might add. My foolish husband not to mention my son never took the time to attempt it." Nodoka smiled at her.  
  
Shampoo blushed under Nodoka's praise. Ukyo grumbled to herself, before admitting that Shampoo was getting a lot better. Nodoka spoke up once again "Would you mind if I took a look at the instructions your grandmother gave you?"  
  
"I... don't mind." Shampoo handed over the scroll.  
  
"Hmm... Oh my."  
  
Shampoo and Ukyo shared a look. *****  
  
Cologne allowed herself a small sigh as she sat alone in the Cat Cafe. With nothing better to do, she began to put away the scrolls she had been looking over. In order to always be prepared, periodically she would re- read the scrolls.  
  
"What's this?" Cologne mumbled to herself "I thought I gave this to Shampoo..." Thinking back to the day when she handed Shampoo the scroll she twitched an eyebrow. 'I know I was a bit emotional when I finished talking to Mrs. Saotome... but could I have made such a careless mistake?' Taking one final look at the scroll in her hands she came across an even worse notion "If I have this scroll than what scroll did I give to Shampoo?"  
  
Rummaging through the few techniques she had still laid out, she quickly deduced which one was missing.  
  
Those passing by the Cat Cafe at that moment were subjected to a most unpleasant sound.... A three hundred year old women loudly cackling. *****  
  
"So this is all we have to do?" Ukyo made no attempt to hide the suspicion in her voice.  
  
"W-well yes I believe the two of you are to stand across from each other with your palms touching..." Nodoka's tentative tone did nothing to ease Ukyo's doubts.  
  
"Is you... Are you sure?" Shampoo had never heard of any martial arts technique in her village that went like this. There was that marital one that did seem awfully similar to this...  
  
"Yes that's really what it says. Now with your palms touching force the ki you gathered yesterday into your partner, taking turns mind you. While one of you is pushing the ki the other should let the extra ki flow back into the earth. Be careful though, you don't want to push it all at one time. Take it in moderately sized intervals. Continue even after you pushed all the ki you gathered, this should help you get in touch with your inner ki." Nodoka instructed. 'Even though this will help them become stronger, I'm not sure how the two of them will handle the side affects...'  
  
Giving each other a final look of reservation, Ukyo and Shampoo began the second phase of their training.  
  
As the two continued to move ki through one another, the color of their auras slowly began to change. Originally a yellow hue, both of the girls now sported blue ki. Once the yellow environmental ki completely dispersed Ukyo passed out while Shampoo dropped to the ground, barely able to stay conscious.  
  
'I wonder how long it'll be before the girls begin to experience the true nature of the 'technique' Cologne gave them.' Nodoka fretted before moving the girls into their tents. *****  
  
"Hey! Answer me!" Kaori screamed from behind Ranma. "I know you've heard of Ranma, so out with it!... Fine if you won't tell me I guess I'll have to travel with you to Kyoto." Kaori nodded her head.  
  
"I don't think that would be a good idea..." Ranma finally spoke up while looking around for any prying eyes.  
  
Completely misinterpreting his actions, Kaori tried to reassure him "Calm down, you don't have to worry about getting attached to me. I'll make sure you remember I'm a taken girl." 'Poor guy is so overwhelmed by my beauty he can't even look at me.'  
  
"Wha... To You?! Please I've seen way better in the mirror." Ranma tossed over his shoulder. The sky darkened as if in warning.  
  
Kaori fumed behind Ranma "What. Did. You. Say?" The sound of lighting could be heard in the distance.  
  
Ranma turned to her "I said 'I've seen way better in the mirror." It was at this point Ranma noticed several things.  
  
1. He just referred to his curse form in front of someone who didn't know about it.  
  
2. He also just insulted said person about their feminine figure.  
  
3. And finally the darkened skies and sounds of lighting could only mean one thing...  
  
Kaori bristled "What's That supposed to mean?!......  
  
It began to rain.  
  
...oh."  
  
Ranma now in cursed form waited for Kaori's reaction.... and waited... and waited... until she walked up to her and peered into the younger girls eyes. "Hello? Anyone home?" Lightly knocking on the girls head, Ranma sweatdropped as the girl tipped over while still in a standing position.  
  
Looking around Ranma noticed that the land was completely dry only 20 feet away.  
  
"This sucks." *****  
  
Ryouga jumped into his tent when he though he heard lighting in the distance.  
  
"What's wrong Ryouga?" Akane asked.  
  
"Um... I don't like the rai... lightning?"  
  
Not being able to figure out if he was telling or asking her, Akane ignored it. It couldn't be really all that important anyway right? "Hey Ryouga I'll cook us something for dinner, okay."  
  
"Yeah, um... shouldn't you be practicing?" Ryouga's timid voice come from the tent.  
  
"Just what are you really trying to say Ryouga?" Akane dripped venom out her mouth.  
  
"I was saying how thoughtful of you to cook us dinner, when you really want to practice."  
  
"Good."  
  
'Damn you Ranma!' *****  
  
Kaori walked alongside the other red head staring at her intently. Ever since that morning when she woke up she had been opening and closing her mouth trying to find the right way to ask her question.  
  
Ranma ignored the young girls predicament, after all she really didn't want to explain the curse yet again. But she knew the girl would get around to asking the question anyway. "Dammit! What the hell are you?!" Ranma cringed slightly at the wording. As much as she hated to admit it, her curse was a sore spot for her. Especially when people treated her as a 'it' or 'thing' because of it. "I'm a person. This is a curse. Any questions?" Was Ranma's gruff reply.  
  
"Any questions? Of course I got questions!... What kind of curse is this? Are you a boy or a girl? Where did you get it? JUST WHO ARE YOU?" Kaori had been plagued by the last question since she first attacked him... her... whatever.  
  
"Well, it's a gender shifting curse that is activated by water, I'm a man, It's from China, and I'm Ran....ko, Ranko Tendo."  
  
"A chinese curse that's activated by water... wow." Kaori went from confused and angry to sparkly eyed with uncanny speed. "I never thought magic really existed, this is so cool!"  
  
'This is my chance!' Ranma thought as she took off like a bat out of hell.  
  
After coming out of her daze Kaori looked to where Ranma was a moment ago. "Say Ranko...Grrr Why do you keep trying to run away from me!"  
  
"'Cause you keep trying to catch me!" Ranma yelled back.  
  
"Stop running and I won't try to catch you, idiot!"  
  
"Sorry can't do that." The skies began to get darker as they did the other afternoon. "So that's how it's going to be." Ranma grumbled to the sky as the rain began to fall. Not in the mood to be caught in the rain he moved over to sit under a small canopy made up of tree branches.  
  
"Guess you don't like the rain, huh?" Kaori smirked at Ranma.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Ah don't be like that. Since you told me about your curse why don't I tell you about my fiancee?" Kaori clasped her hands together.  
  
"You really don't have to... I mean really."  
  
"It's no problem. Well since you've heard of him I guess you might know some of what I'm going to tell you." She ignored the other girls snort. "Even though I didn't meet Ranma until a few months ago, my father and his engaged us back when we were young. My dad was on the road and ran across the two of them while they were traveling. My dad says he could tell Ranma was going to be a great martial artist one day. After watching Ranma and his father spar for a little while he offered the two of them something to eat out of camaraderie. Even though he's kind of sketchy on the details our fathers agreed to engage us to one another."  
  
"Wait you said you met him a few months ago?"  
  
"Yeah he was traveling through Kyoto when he came across our dojo. His father had passed away and he didn't even know about our engagement. After staying with us for a while he heard rumors about the grandmaster of his style and left." Kaori became subdued at that point. Hanging her head she continued "I've been searching for him for the past month. He seemed so lonely when he came to town, he should have some one to travel with." As if empowered by her last point she looked back up at Ranma. "Don't you... for the love of god... STOP RUNNING FROM ME!"  
  
Ranma, who was a good 30 feet away, hung her head once she was caught. *****  
  
"Ryouga do you think you need to go to the hospital?" Akane tended to his side.  
  
"No, don't worry about it. I'm sure it was just something form yesterday that I ate... I mean, drank. Ha ha, my water probably went bad..." 'Not even Akane will buy that..' Ryouga closed his eyes and waited for the pain.  
  
"Really? well it looks like it's going to rain so we can fill up your water canister." Akane said while looking up at the darkening skies.  
  
'That was a close one.... she didn't just say...' Ryouga snapped open his eyes to look at the sky "RAIN!" Seemingly ignoring his pain Ryouga quickly unpacked his tent and set it up.  
  
"Ryouga? oh you worried that it's going to thunder again?" Akane called to him.  
  
"Who's worried about thunder? it's raining!... oh that's right, I'm supposed to be worried about thunder and lighting. hehehehehe" Ryouga trailed off while rubbing the back of his head. Once he noticed the first drop of rain he clamped his mouth shut and flew into his tent. 'Damn you Ranma!'  
  
"Okay...." Akane sweatdropped. *****  
  
Nodoka didn't know whether to be worried or amused by the actions of the two young girls sitting in front of her. 'It didn't take long for the aftereffects to occur.' Deciding to ease the tension in the air Nodoka dropped the bomb. Even as she began to speak she wondered what was it about that last thought that seemed wrong. "Girls the training you two did was less of an advanced martial arts move and more of a marital... advancement... strengthening... or something like that... um, move." Nodoka blushed as she fumbled with her description.  
  
"Aiyah! Shampoo new it was marriage move!" Shampoo threw away all pretenses of learning to speak proper japanese.  
  
"What exactly does this technique do?" Ukyo asked, 'as if I haven't already guessed some of it...'  
  
Shampoo spoke before Nodoka could. "Shampoo have weird dream last night. It have very young airen playing with young spatula girl. See airen leave spatula girl crying in the street while waving goodbye... very sad dream." Shampoo lowered her voice near the end. "I feel little spatula girls pain in dream..."  
  
Ukyo gave Shampoo a sad smile. "I guess now I'm sure what my dream was all about... I saw Shampoo watch Ranma splash himself with cold water and tell her he was really a girl. I even saw Shampoo run off in tears..."  
  
"Shampoo no cry!" Shampoo stood up defiantly. All it took was one look at Ukyo to sit Shampoo back down.  
  
"Mine was a very sad dream too." Ukyo continued to look at Shampoo.  
  
The silence that followed didn't let up until the rain began to fall, sending everyone back for cover. *****  
  
With the rain lasting only half a hour, Ranma and Kaori quickly fell back into a silent walk. Ranma slightly ahead since Kaori never completely moved up beside her when she tried to run.  
  
'Great, what am I supposed to do? Tell her I'm the real Ranma and I'm her fiancee, or do I let her believe that other guy is her fiancee... especially since I have a good idea of who that guy is. If I tell her the last place I saw him was in Nerima, she'll probably go there and find out the truth about me... If I tell her I don't know where he is, she'll follow me... And if I tell her the truth, who knows what she will do.' Taking a moment to collect her thoghts she realized what to do...  
  
"What the hell is with all the running! You do it like it was some kind of secret technique or something!" Kaori yelled while chasing after the pigtailed girl.  
  
Ranma sported a sweatdrop at the comment 'How did she figure out the Saotome secret technique so fast?'  
  
'This guy... girl... person, sure can run. I don't know how much longer I can keep up with... Ranko. Now that I think about it Ranko is pretty good... maybe she...he... whatever, fought Ranma.' Kaori took a moment to think about that before she was smacked across the face with a low tree branch. After rubbing her nose she looked up to see Ranma missing. It only took a few steps forward before she spotted Ranma facing her with a serious expression. She cautiously walked forward, trying to figure out why the sudden change in demeanor.  
  
"It's been interesting traveling with ya... but we part here. See ya" Ranma waved as she turned away.  
  
"You're not getting rid of me that easily!" exclaimed Kaori as she ran to catch up with Ranma. She skid to a halt when she came across a deep gorge in the woods. 'If I'm not mistaken there's a bridge further down the trial... but by the time I get there and back Ranko will be gone. I'll just figure out the way she got across...' Kaori blinked as she noticed there wasn't any high trees one could jump from to land on the other side. ' Just how did she get over there? She couldn't have... no way did she jump across. It can't be possible to jump that far!' As Kaori tried to figure a way across the gap Ranma resumed her walk. 'Regardless of how she got over there I have to stop her from leaving!' Pulling out her bat like shurikens Kaori tried her special attack again. "Bat Boomerang!"  
  
Heaving a sigh, Ranma caught all the shurikens with his amaguriken. 'Jinkies! He caught them all!' Kaori was speechless.  
  
"Enough. Ranma decided to continue his training alone, let him be. Just go back to Kyoto... If he truly cares for you he will return... if he can..." Ranma didn't know if she was still referring to Kumon or herself. Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, Ranma gave Kaori one last look before starting to leave.  
  
Kaori was momentarily frozen from Ranma's tone of voice. Turning around dejectedly and struggling with the words spoken by Ranma, Kaori could no longer hold in her anger. Spinning back towards the other redhead, Kaori broke out into a sprint. "You don't know what your talking about! Wait for him to return if he can? It's because I care that I can't just wait when he might not be able to come back!" Having said her peace she put everything she had into her jump as she tried to clear the space between the two of them.  
  
Ranma flinched at Kaori's last words. Before realizing that the young girl was actually going for the jump. "Don't be stupid! You can't clear it!" 'Damn' Ranma swore to herself as she ran towards Kaori. It was obvious that Kaori wasn't going to make it all the way. Pumping ki into her legs, Ranma jumped past Kaori snatching her along the way. Once she secured the girl in her grasp she spring boarded off the side of the cliff Kaori jumped from back towards her own leaping point.  
  
Kaori's heart stopped for a second once she grasped the fact that she wasn't going to make it across. Her eyes got even bigger when she noticed Ranma leap towards her in mid-air. When Ranma bounced off the face of the cliff she couldn't take anymore and allowed her brain to shut down for a while with her last thoughts being 'Ranko's really amazing... She's had to have fought Ranma, but she couldnt't have beat him.... could she? There's no way she could beat a master of Anything goes...' *****  
  
Half an hour later found Kaori waking up while riding Ranma's back. "W- what's going on?" groggily spoke up the newly awakened girl.  
  
"You don't remember your crazy stunt?" Snorted Ranma.  
  
"Huh.... oh I remember."  
  
A moment of silence past between the two, until Ranma sat Kaori onto the ground. "Look Kaori, I'm kind of in the middle of something big here... so if you won't allow me to go alone then at least keep your distance, otherwise you'll be putting yourself into unnecessary danger."  
  
"Okay." Kaori replied with confusion evident in her voice 'I don't know what she's talking about but she's not trying to get rid of me anymore at least...' "Oh, don't think that because I'm keeping my distance that I forgot about finding out about Ranma." She smirked.  
  
Ranma just grumbled. *****  
  
"Sham... I have an idea. Why don't we try to learn the kacthu tenshin amaguriken?" Shampoo spoke to kill the silence that that had plagued them since it started to rain.  
  
"What? Isn't that an advanced technique?" Ukyo asked, if she remembered correctly it took Ranma some time before he was able to get it.  
  
"Yes, but it's not that difficult. Besides with our growing ki reserves we should be able to learn pretty soon... I think." Shampoo tried to give Ukyo an encouraging smile.  
  
"I don't know if it'll work... but if it's for Ran-chan!" Ukyo raised a fist.  
  
"I'm so proud of you girls." Nodoka gushed making both Ukyo and Shampoo blush.  
  
"So how do we learn the move again? I remember Ran-chan saying something about cooking chestnuts or something."  
  
"Well..." *****  
  
"What's wrong now Ryouga?" Akane asked exasperated. "It didn't even thunder, it just rained. And even the rain has stopped."  
  
'But there's a lot of puddles around!' Ryouga wanted to scream, but knew better. "Nothing's wrong. I just trying to think of some new training ideas to try."  
  
"Really? Like what?" Akane peeked into his tent, not noticing the way Ryouga was starting to squirm.  
  
"I don't know maybe teach you the breaking point..." Ryouga blurted out in panic.  
  
"I... guess. It would help wouldn't it?" Akane asked while biting her bottom lip.  
  
"Huh? what would help?" Ryouga calm down at Akane's question.  
  
"Me learning the breaking point." She answered.  
  
"You want to learn the breaking point!" Ryouga jumped to his feet incidently breaking down his tent. "What...are you... thinking?" Ryouga finally got out, wrestling with a tent is not the best time to talk, he found out.  
  
"Yeah, why not? Don't think I can handle it?" Akane reached behind her back.  
  
"The breaking point it is then." Ryouga conceded 'As much as I hate to see her hurt, I know I can't convince her not to now. Besides I'm really starting to hate that damn mallet. Why is my life so difficult?... That's right because of Ranma. Damn you Ranma!' *****  
  
Ranma took a moment to look at the skies, it looked a lot brighter today. 'hopefully there won't be any rain.' He had changed back to his male form that morning before continuing his trek. "Hey Ranko..." 'This path should still be heading for Kyoto.' "Yo' Ranko..." 'Hopefully we can stop by a town soon to pick up some supplies.' "I'm hungry let's have lunch..." 'I need to buy some... woah!' Ranma dived to his left as he heard the whistling sound of something coming for his head.  
  
"Now will you pay attention to me!" Kaori growled. "Or were you trying to find some path to lose me on? Maybe you want me to starve and get left behind."  
  
"As nice as it would be to loose you or leave you behind, I was just thinking about supplies to pick up." Ranma replied while checking himself for any cuts.  
  
"Well why don't we have lunch?" Kaori asked cheerfully.  
  
"You can go ahead, we should keep walking though. I don't have any food left so I'd rather walk on, instead of watching you eat." Ranma answered.  
  
"Okay, let's keep moving." Kaori shrugged. "So Ranko you must be pretty hungry right."  
  
Ranma's lifted eyebrow went unseen by Kaori since she was behind him "I wouldn't mind something to eat."  
  
"Well if you tell me about Ranma I'll share mine with you."  
  
"Please don't inconvenience yourself on my account." was his sarcastic reply.  
  
A few minutes later Ranma was once again in his own world as he walked ahead of Kaori breaking branches off of trees in their path. "So then he came in and said he was looking for the master of the Anything Goes school, but dad didn't know..." Ranma swiped a spider web down with one of the broken tree limbs. "...stayed with us for a few months..." Ranma swept away some leaves that were hiding a small hole in the ground. "RANKO!" Ranma cringed at the tone for a moment.  
  
"Stop ignoring me! Do you really find the tree limbs that more interesting than my story about Ranma's appearance at my dojo? I mean really what the hell are you doing picking tree limbs?"  
  
Ranma looked at her in confusion "You don't want them to smack you in the face do you? plus it makes it easier to see my path doesn't it?"  
  
Kaori blinked 'I though he would love to loose me, especially if it was my fault instead of him running off... Now that I think about it he's a lot like Ranma, really cocky and proud but hiding a caring side.' "Tell you what Ranko, you can have some of my lunch... but not much."  
  
"Really? Thanks." Ranma grinned before taking a closer look at the rice ball in his hands "I wonder... could this be drugged? maybe an amazon secret technique or secret ingredient?" he whispered to himself. It might have been better if he whispered away from Kaori's face.  
  
"NO IT'S NOT DRUGGED!" Kaori seethed.  
  
*snap*  
  
Both paused at the faint sound in the distance.  
  
"What was that?" Kaori asked.  
  
"Shh. Remember stay back, things could get dangerous." Ranma whispered before jumping into the trees.  
  
"He was serious about dealing with something dangerous?" Kaori asked herself. Cursing herself for not paying attention, she jumped into the trees after him.  
  
Like before it didn't take long for Kaori to find Ranma. Jumping down beside him, she covered her mouth at the sight. "Is she?" Unable to finish her question she looked to Ranma. He was slightly shaking, but still moved down next to the women covered in blood holding a young boy. After checking her pulse and finding where the blood was coming from he looked back at Kaori. "She's really banged up, but if we patch up her wounds and let her rest she should be alright. The kid seems fine probably just exhausted."  
  
So saying the two of them got to work on the young women. Once wrapping her head, where she had been bleeding, as well as her back. Ranma found the young boy watching them. "Hello. I'm Ranko. Can you tell me what happened to her?"  
  
The young boy of about 9 or 10 looked at the heavily bandaged girl with watery eyes before turning back to Ranma and nodding. "My sister was returning home from a martial arts competition when she found me hiding in the woods. She tried to talk to me but I was so scared... Then those guys came and my sister fought them. I think some of them had knives and other stuff like that. After fighting for a while Sachiko, my sister, started to win so the guys got in a few more hits before running off. I... I still was to scared to do much so she picked me up and started running away from the village. That's all I remember."  
  
"I see, so why were you being chased by those men?"  
  
"Well, my dad runs the only dojo in town and lately a lot of gangs have been showing up. He tried to fight them off with some of his students, but they just kept coming. They were being led by some guy from 'the band of the fang'. And rumors say that the leader of the band is coming into town any day now."  
  
Ranma frowned at the information "So, because your father was causing them trouble they decided to finally do something about it since their leader Daigo was coming."  
  
"Daigo?" Asked Kaori from behind Ranma.  
  
If she had surprised him she couldn't tell. "Daigo Mitsurugi is the leader of 'the band of the fang'. I was headed for Kyoto to face him actually" Ranma turned his attention back on the boy "Look kid stay here with your sister, I'll go deal with this gang."  
  
"Will you find my parents?" He quickly asked.  
  
Ranma blinked at him "They're still aliv... um, sure kid." Ranma briskly walked away. Coming up on Kaori he quietly spoke to her. "Watch the kid and his sister. Even though I should keep most of everybody busy, and since no one was looking for them they should be safe, but I'd prefer if someone was here to keep an eye on things."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Ranma decided not to question Kaori's surprising agreement. *****  
  
Taking in the condition of the town, Ranma could tell that it had been slowly falling apart. After living in Nerima for as long as he had he could tell the difference from from huge damage to slowly built up damage. His fights with Ryouga caused huge damage to the streets of Nerima, while his quarrels with Akane caused built up damage in the Tendo home. 'What a coincidence that Daigo just so happens to be visiting this town when I arrive.' Ranma was taken back as he turned a corner and spotted the two bodies being kicked and beat on. Ranma took a good guess that they were Sachiko's parents.  
  
Not far behind Ranma, crept Kaori and the young boy. "Quiet shinji, Ranko's a really good martial artist if you make just a little noise he'll hear us." 'Still as good as he is he shouldn't be doing this alone.'  
  
As the two slowly approached Ranma still form, they could only blink when he broke out into a run. "Hurry!" cried Shinji as he turned the corner only to stop himself.  
  
"What's the mat..." Kaori trailed off as she watched Ranma approach a mob of men who were stomping on something on the ground. She was hesitant to guess what that something was.  
  
"That's not... That's not my parents is it?" Shinji whispered with wide eyes.  
  
Ranma wasted to time, as he jumped past about half a dozen men he cried out "Katchu tenshin amaguriken!" Like the time against Mousse in their first duel he used an moving airborne version of it. Instead of jumping up however he jumped horizontally, taking out all six men. The attack stopped the beating the two prone forms were receiving.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Asked one of the bigger men in the mob.  
  
"Someone you don't want to fight, that's who." Ranma replied in a cool tone.  
  
"Oh, why's that?"  
  
"Because you've really pissed me off." Ranma returned to inflicting proper punishment on the group. Even though they numbered close to 30, Ranma weaved in and out of them with out problem. Instead of going for the hiryu shoten ha, Ranma wanted to make them feel pain and instead delivered well placed attack to their necks, lower regions, and back of the head. Once the majority of them were all together, being herded there by Ranma, he let loose a huge Mouka Takabisha. Taking out 7 already injured men as well as 4 fresh ones, Ranma once again became a moving twister of punches and kicks. Destroying anything in it's pace, the enraged martial artist took out 8 more injured fighter as they tried to run from him. Slowly slipping into the Cat fist in his rage Ranma began to simply swipe at the others as they either ran or tried to sneak up on him.  
  
Kaori was getting dizzy from trying to add up all the amazing things Ranma could do. She was so out of it she almost missed the fact that one man had managed to get away and was now headed for Shinji. "Shinji!" Kaori jumped at him knocking him down and out of the path of the thugs brass knuckles. "Bat Boom..." Reaching for her shurikens she was brough up short when she noticed the thug unmoving. Slowly blood started to exit his mouth, then he fell to the ground. Dumbfounded Kaori simply tracked his descent to the ground before looking back up and peering into the coldest pair of green eyes she had ever seen.  
  
Lee raised an eyebrow at the girl before him. 'Those shurikens... you got to be kidding me...'  
  
Ranma turned as he sensed the new ki charge. "Lee." Ranma slowly walked over to him, stepping on knives, chains, and other weapons the thugs had that he hadn't even paid attention to. Flicking a finger over his shoulder, Ranma sent a small ki claw at the creeping thug behind him, never once taking his eyes off Lee.  
  
"I have to admit I didn't expect to see you here." Lee grinned at Ranma.  
  
"I could say the same thing. I would ask you what you're doing here dealing with local thugs but obviously you've heard Daigo was coming here."  
  
"Obviously." Lee shrugged. "So Ran..."  
  
Kaori cut in "Hey you two know each other?"  
  
Ranma let out the breath he didn't even know he was holding, and incidentally snapping out of the cat fist 'How can I tell Lee to call me Ranko instead of Ranma?' "Uh, yeah. Me and Lee go way back. The two of us were training partners. We're two of the best, everybody used to say 'Lee and Ranko are great!' 'Lee and RANKO are amazing!' 'Wow look at Lee and RANKO!' they would say. hehehehe." Ranma laughed a little to loud.  
  
Everyone just sweatdropped at him. "So Ran...ko." Lee grinned "What's up with batgirl here?"  
  
Ranma cringed "Lee don't get on her bad side...what?" Ranma blinked at the look Kaori was giving Lee. Kaori looked at Lee in awe, or something close to it as far as Ranma could tell.  
  
"You know about batgirl?" Kaori asked with hope radiating off her.  
  
"Sure, I've spent some time in the States. I saw some of the TV shows and movies."  
  
"YOU'VE SEEN THE MOVIES?!" Kaori grabbed Lee by the shirt.  
  
Lee once again raised an eyebrow. Ranma blink a few times. "Batgirl?" Ranma finally spoke up.  
  
Lee looked back towards Ranma, with Kaori still griping his shirt. "Yeah, I heard her say 'Bat boom..' before stopping. Plus her shurikens look like really weird bat boomerangs, which is really weird since bat boomerangs look weird enough as it is, plus look at her outfit."  
  
Ranma finally took the time to really look at her get-up. It was a gray ninja suit. She had blue arm bands, belt, and scarf. Now that he though about it, her outfit was really strange to wear in public. But after hanging around Susuke and Kodachi one gets used to such things. "I'll admit it's a bit... unique."  
  
"Obvously you're not familiar with the superhero 'BATMAN'."  
  
Ranma shrugged at Lee's comment. "Well you know, life on the road and all."  
  
"Right. So anyway what's going on here?" Lee asked. He didn't show it, but he was happy that the weird batgirl had let go of him when he asked the question.  
  
"That's right! Shinji's parents."  
  
"Shinji?" Ranma and Lee asked. Before Ranma continued "Is that the boys name?"  
  
"Yeah. Anyway we need to check on his parents!" Kaori ran over to Shinji who was already trying to wake them up.  
  
"His father ran the only dojo here. The family was attacked when news of Daigo's visit spread." Ranma informed Lee as the two of them walked towards the others.  
  
After checking on them they came to the conclusion that the two would be okay once they got some medical attention. Lee carried the father as Ranma carried the women to the local doctor. As they slowly reach the door they heard a latch click. Looking at each other Lee and Ranma continued towards the door to the clinic. "Hey Kaori could you get the door?"  
  
"No probl... It's locked?" Kaori blinked. "I thought they were opening the door." Kaori knocked on the door several times to no avail. "What's going on?" She turned to others.  
  
"It's the townsfolk. With Dad no longer able to help fight off the gangs, I guess everyone else is going to just do what they're told." Shinji bowed his head.  
  
"Damn. Lee you know a little about dealing with bad injuries right?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Yes, especially after our last fight at the school." Lee smirked when Ranma looked away.  
  
"Alright we'll treat them back where your sister is." Ranma told Shinji. Before turning away form the clinic in disgust.  
  
'They just don't understand' thought the doctor inside his clinic. *****  
  
As Ranma massaged and bandaged up the two, Lee was getting the ki to flow through them to speed up healing.  
  
"Hey, how did you know to come here anyway? Who told you?" Kaori asked as she watched Lee and Ranma go to work.  
  
"I work with the government, on occasion." Lee answered while still paying close attention on his 'patients'.  
  
"If they know what's going on in this town then why did they just send you?"  
  
"The thugs are part of Daigo's group, even as far from the top as they are. So all the government officials are trying not to provoke him by moving against anyone in his group. They don't mind if I try something since they believe Daigo knows that I'm an outsider, not a true government agent."  
  
He actually finished his explanation at the same time that he finished with Shinji's parents. Standing up, Lee continued to speak more to Ranma than to answer any question Kaori had asked. "Daigo has already begun to heavily influence the government, including the police, and now is moving on to towns. Soon large cities will feel his presence. You and I, we are need now more than ever." Walking past Ranma only to stop a step behind and facing away Lee continued, not whispering, but speaking for only Ranma to hear "I've got Daigo's location. Shall we pay him a visit?"  
  
Ranma narrowed his eyes and replied in a dangerous voice "Yeah, I think we should get reacquainted." He turned to face the same direction as Lee before walking off.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, just where do you think you two are going? To see that Daigo guy? Well I'm going with you!" Kaori interrupted.  
  
"This is no place for sidekicks girl." Lee called over his shoulder.  
  
"Hey!" Kaori yelled in indignation.  
  
"Please, I need you to watch over Shinji and his family." Ranma pleaded. When Kaori didn't protest he continued on with Lee. *****  
  
Daigo grinned at the voice. "He may be calmer than me, but he's still impulsive. Well show them in and tell Goro to get ready"  
  
Daigo sighed as he continued to lounge on the bed of jewels the previous owners of the large estate left behind. His two assistants rubbing the other jewels across him. 'These jewels feel good on my scales...' *****  
  
Kaori paced back and forth as she watched Shinji's family sleep. They were breathing normally, his sister even work up for a moment, they were all perfectly... well not perfectly, but they were doing fine and didn't need her protection. Mind made up Kaori began to follow the trail left by Ranma and Lee. "Hey where are you going.?" Kaori silently cursed to herself for being caught.  
  
"Look Shinji, your parents are going to be okay and your sister is pretty much fine now. So I'm going to help Ranko and that creep Lee. See ya later." Kaori waved before jogging down the trail.  
  
"Be careful." Shinji whispered. *****  
  
Night had fallen by the time Ranma and Lee made it to the large home Daigo had procured for himself. It was just a little short of being twice as large as the Tendo estate. As Lee and Ranma looked around for any sentries or look outs they were both surprised when the door they had been walking towards, before taking a quick survey of the area, now had a young girl standing in front of it. 'I didn't hear the door open or close, and I know she wasn't there a moment ago...' went through Lee's mind. Ranma on the other hand groaned 'not her again.'  
  
Innocently smiling at the two, Ayame greeted them. *****  
  
To Be Continued  
  
Thanks to the reviewer 'Ranae Milae' at Fanfiction.net for pointing out some huge mistakes, and since I forgot to mention it before I'd like to thank 'Zsych' also from fanfiction.net for the title for the story.  
  
quail12001@yahoo.com 


	5. Part 5

A Ranma 1/2-Rurouni Kenshin fusion Return of the Warrior  
  
By: Q Ranma 1/2 and Rurouni Kenshin do not belong to me and are being used solely for non-profit purposes.  
  
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Tetsuya's killer..." Ranma narrowed his eyes at the pale girl before him.  
  
Lee looked to Ranma then back to the girl. "She doesn't look like much. But I'll take you word for it."  
  
Ayame simply smiled. She began to head for the large home behind her.  
  
"This should be interesting..." Lee commented as he and Ranma followed.  
  
*****  
  
'Wow, that sure is a big house!' Kaori thought to herself. She moved stealthily through the woods, hiding behind trees and bushes and mentally repeating the mantra of 'sneaky feet' to reassure her herself.  
  
Eventually making it to the outer wall of the compound, she took a quick leap into the trees to look over the wall for any sentries. She was mildly surprised by the lack of heavy patrol. As far as she could tell this side of the house was only watched by 5 men. Not questioning her luck, Kaori threw a smoke bomb towards the corner of the wall where it was the darkest. 'That should keep them busy for a while since even when the dust clears, it'll still be to dark to see anything.'  
  
"Is that smoke?" Asked one of the guards to the nearest man to him.  
  
"I can't tell it's kind of dark... wait, look up! there's smoke coming from over there. Hey Guys! Something's up over here!" The second man cried as he ran over with the first guy towards the disturbance.  
  
"Suckers..." Kaori whispered to herself as she jumped over the wall and onto the property. She slowly walked across the yard towards the large estate. As she reached the window to sneak in through, she heard a loud siren from the corners of the wall as red lights flashed. "...Whoops."  
  
*****  
  
"I'm getting hungry, you guys want anything..." A women with short blonde hair asked.  
  
"Sorry, but we have company." Daigo grinned. As soon as the words left his mouth the door to the large kitchen they were presently in opened. Stepping through the doorway was a smiling Ayame, a bored looking Lee, and a smirking Ranma.  
  
"Yo, Daigo... damn, you look..." Ranma trailed off.  
  
"Handsome?" Asked the blonde haired women by Daigo's right side.  
  
"Dangerous?" Purred a women with long pink hair.  
  
Ayame cocked her head at him.  
  
"I'd go with weird myself..." Lee smirked.  
  
Ranma sweatdropped "Um... different. You look very different..."  
  
"I guess, but I like it." Daigo shrugged as he pretended not to hear all the other descriptions.  
  
"Daigo's leaving himself wide open by just sitting in his chair like that, don't you think?" Lee whispered to his escort.  
  
Lee blinked 'I wonder if I'm the only one to hear that.' He continued to stare at the girl beside him.  
  
"I've been wondering Daigo... what's so important about this place? We all know you're stationed in Kyoto." Ranma asked.  
  
"Well, I never got around to having the wealth of jewels in this house moved over to Kyoto... so I thought I'd stop by and enjoy them, and perhaps entertain some guests..." he grinned at Ranma and Lee.  
  
"What's so special about the jewels in this house? I'm pretty sure you don't need money."  
  
"The jewels feel so soothing to my scales you see. So sometimes I like to just lay in them for a few hours."  
  
Ranma turned to Lee who was looking at him with an expressions of 'don't ask me.'  
  
"Don't you know? Dragons have a thing for treasures and jewels, the feel of them on a dragons scale is very relaxing." Daigo informed them.  
  
"Riiiight... anyway why have you taken such measures to keep this village in your grasp." Lee spoke up.  
  
"I knew it was a very big possibility that Ranma would head this way... Once he started his journey to come for me."  
  
"You planned for us to contact Ranma just as I thought. Now that we're here you plan on finishing us off so that you can move on to taking over Japan?" Lee questioned.  
  
"Leon Max, one of the most promising students to ever study at the school, surely you don't think my goal is so shallow?" Daigo taunted.  
  
"As a matter of fact I do." Lee brushed off the barb.  
  
"Tsk tsk, I expected better of you. Let me explain. I was a simple student at the school prior to the trip to Jusenkyo. However once I was introduced to the magic surrounding that area I was given the strength most men could only dream of. The masters traveling with me couldn't even kill me. However like I said I'm not using this strength to simply control any part of Japan, nor Asia as I'm sure some of your men have guessed." Daigo began to drink from his cup.  
  
Then he continued. "Once I made it out of the springs... again. I continued to travel through China, especially the area surrounding Jusenkyo. I learned much about the magical area in the land and realized how powerful I had truly become."  
  
"Um... as interesting as your story may be, can you get to the point about your goals." Ranma gave Daigo a small smirk.  
  
"No appreciation for build up... Fine, everyone one of us in this room has experienced or heard about the unusual places, items, and beings that lay hidden within our world. Yet, I seem to be the only one from the school to have paid it any attention. Every person from our school is taught a style meant to create us into warriors but none of them had any purpose or goal to actually be one. Until now. There are creatures who roam our planet with not only the strength, but with brains and subjects to command also, who could take over large areas of earth before the military of any country could stop them. Add in the different magical weapons that seem to pop out every where nowadays that the government lacks any knowledge of, then we leave ourselves open to be conquered! So I will show this country as well as the rest of Asia, that they are not at the top of the food chain and that they need to gain the true strength that they have lost. They rely far to much on man made weapons and have neglected what truly works against these threats... True Warriors! Warriors like us!" Daigo spread out his arms as he stood.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey the alarm went off... why did it go off so soon..." Asked one of the guards searching the through the smoke.  
  
"I don't know? the intruder hasn't made it out of the smoke yet." Came another member.  
  
"Crap! This must be a diversion!" A third voice cried out, as everyone ran back to the house. They came to a halt once they encountered a girl rasping herself on the head.  
  
"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, of course a big house like this has some kind of security!" Kaori finally stopped when she felt something wrong with the situation 'I guess the guards surrounding me could be the cause...'  
  
"An intruder!" one of them yelled.  
  
"Really, and we thought she was just out of uniform... WE KNOW SHE'S AN INTRUDER!" The second man smacked his foolish partner, before they all attacked her.  
  
Smirking at the men, Kaori jumped back "I'll make this quick and painful." After saying she retrieved four of her shurikens and tossed them with deadly accuracy...  
  
"That was... low." one man managed to get out as he dropped to his knees holding his groin, joining the other three men on their knees screaming in pain.  
  
Rushing in immediately Kaori finished each man off with a blow to the back of the neck or hard kicks. "Better get inside before their back up arrives." Kaori decided as she ran back towards the window and climbed inside. 'Finding the others might take a while...' she grimaced at the size of the place.  
  
*****  
  
"Maybe the world is blind to some of the more unusual things around us, but that doesn't give you the right to become the very thing you wish to warn the nation about."  
  
"People only truly learn these things after going through them Ranma. You should know that more than anyone. How many times have you gotten yourself into situations you would have know better than to get mixed up in now? Many of those situations you should have known to avoid in the first place... but the only way you learned not to get involved was because you experienced the consequences first hand." Daigo retorted to Ranma's lecture.  
  
"Whatever. Daigo we came here to put an end to this game, so let's get on with it." Lee stepped forward, bored with the conversation.  
  
"Actually I just came here to see you two. I have no intention of fighting you here. But to make sure you two don't leave feeling too disappointed, I have someone else here to battle you." Daigo snapped his fingers.  
  
Both Ranma and Lee tensed at the action, then turned towards the double doors to their side. As the doors swung open a tall brown haired man stepped in. Ranma had to fight a groan from escaping at the sight of the man in white and black traditional samurai garb. He had two swords at his side , the usual katana and the shorter kodachi, both black from end to end. 'A grown Kuno...'  
  
"Goro if you don't mind, please entertain our guests." Daigo motioned towards the two.  
  
"I'd be glad to. By the way, there's another intruder... a young girl I believe. She's somewhere lost in here." the middle-aged man added.  
  
"We should have tied the kid up..." snorted the master of the serpent style.  
  
"Probably... Uh look guys..." Ranma gave Daigo and his associates a pleading look. "If she shows up you have to refer to me as Ranko... please?" He really wished he was in his cursed form when doing this.  
  
Daigo gave him an incredulous look, Lee sweatdropped, Goro blinked, the blond haired women snickered, Ayame gave a strained smile, and the young lady with the pink haired gushed. "Oh he's so cute! sure thing kiddo, Ranko it is" She gave him a wink.  
  
"Um... thanks" Ranma returned while rubbing the back of his head. 'I hope Daigo doesn't get jealous... I really don't need another guy trying to kill me, oh that's right, he already is...' Ranma began to laugh nervously.  
  
"We can avoid such a situation if we just take Daigo out this instant." Lee smiled as he began to move towards the red scaled man. He gave no notice to the man introduced as Goro. Well until the man drew his katana slicing at him.  
  
Lee, to the shock of only Goro, casually sent a powerful kick to the man's wrist. The katana wielding fighter's shock was short lived as the familiar tactic was used against him. It wasn't uncommon for a fighter without a weapon to try and kick his opponents sword out of their hand early in a fight. Goro was simply shocked at the speed the man turned his attention away from Daigo to himself. He had underestimated the young man, fortunately his opponent had underestimated him as well.  
  
The two former sparring partners were taken aback by the fact that not only had the man kept his hold of his katana, but had begun to spin the other way almost instantly. Before Lee could recover his leg, he felt the ankle of his raised foot caught in Goro's grasp. The sword fighter had thrown his left hand behind his back in hopes of catching Lee's foot.  
  
'Damn' Ranma thought as he saw the shock on Lee's face, was heard in his mind also. Goro kneeled with his right arm outstretched holding his sword as he turned to the no longer moving Lee.  
  
Before Ranma could step forward, Goro jumped back with a gasp. The room as a collective looked form the shocked Goro to the bored looking Lee.  
  
The green eyed man slowly lowered his leg and tossed what looked like maybe a knife into the air. 'No that's the other guys...' Ranma turned back to Goro nodding at the sight of the older man no longer having his kodachi in it's sheath.  
  
Came the chipper... voice of Ayame.  
  
Catching the small sword in his hand Lee turned to the seething Goro. "You can't beat me, so stop wasting everyone's time. I'm here to deal with Daigo not simpletons like you."  
  
Yelling in rage, Goro attacked him once more.  
  
*****  
  
Pacing back and forth on the boat, the black haired young man tried to make a final decision on what to do. 'Due I go back to Japan or deliver the message? On one hand, Shampoo could be hurt with me gone, but if I don't deliver the message I could be kicked out of the village and lose any chance at being able to marry her... So what's more important? Me being able to marry her or her safety... Don't be stupid Mousse, the answer's obvious.' Smiling to himself, Mousse settled in for the long trip to China. *****  
  
"A-again!" Akane tried to yell, it came out more as a wheeze instead.  
  
Ryouga shook his head... 'At least she's getting one part of the training right.' "Do you need to switch fingers again?" he asked.  
  
"I don't think so... I'm sure this finger will be the one to get it right!" Akane cried.  
  
"It doesn't really matter what finger you use... it's all in the mind." Ryouga whispered to himself as he pulled on the rope connected with the boulder. "Don't try to break the rock with your finger Akane. Just look at it as it comes closer and try to see the point on it where the rocks energy is focused."  
  
"That's what I've been doing...Hiyahh!... Owwies... my finger." tears welled up in Akane's eyes.  
  
Sighing Ryouga jumped down from the tree he was in. "It's getting late Akane lets call it a night and take care of that finger."  
  
"Okay..." Akane gave in without much fuss.  
  
*****  
  
"Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Shampoo yelled as she swiped out acorns from the fire she made. "Ha! I did it!" Shampoo jumped to her feet doing a victory dance... or maybe trying to cool her burning fingers off. Neither one brought much cheer to Ukyo who still hadn't mastered it yet.  
  
"You sure we don't need chestnuts... Maybe it's harder to grab acorns and that's why I'm having such a hard time." Ukyo grumbled.  
  
The Amazon gave her a lidded stare. "Right, right, Ran-chan didn't master it in a day so I shouldn't be upset that it takes me some time to learn it." Ukyo waved her hand at Shampoo.  
  
"Besides that Ukyo, you know that I'm already really fast with my hands... remember the time I blocked Akane's memory of Ranma? I washed her hair in less than 5 seconds." Shampoo try to console her... friend.  
  
"How could I forget, I had the dream about it last night... And if I remember correctly your hands aren't the only things your fast with, trying to seduce Ran-chan the first day you meet him." Ukyo tried to look upset over the incident, but since she saw it from Shampoo's point of view she couldn't help but find Ranma's attempt of letting Shampoo down with the old 'We should get to know each better' line from on his back, as he father held a sign proclaiming him pathetic as very funny.  
  
"Well he was my husband by then..." Shampoo shrugged her shoulders. "And don't think I don't know about some of the fantasies you have about him either... some of your dreams were quite, what's the word I'm looking for... explicit?" Shampoo held her finger to her chin in thought.  
  
"No, no, you probably mean romantic, Heh, heh," Ukyo covered her burning cheeks.  
  
"No, I think I was right at first, very explicit." Shampoo giggled.  
  
Nodoka just hummed happily to herself as she cooked, pretending not to hear what her prospective daughter in laws were saying.  
  
*****  
  
Cologne smiled as she allowed herself the guilty pleasure of daydreaming. She could see it now, five or six grandchildren running around, all training to be the best of their generation, fighting with each other to help reach levels in the art unthinkable up till then. Yes, the idea of a child being raised by an Amazon matriarch, one of the amazons strongest warriors, the martial art prodigy that was Ranma, and even if discounted at first glance, the loyal and extremely determined okonomiyaki chef, was something to allow herself to dream about... Especially since a little mistake made by her could led to it actually happening.  
  
"It would be with Ranma that such a foolish mistake could turn out to be our best plan yet..." Cologne looked around the empty restaurant before giggling.  
  
*****  
  
"Do you feel that Saotome?" Soun asked.  
  
"Say what?!" Genma yelled over the sound of men finishing working on the house for the day.  
  
Waiting for the noise to die down Soun repeated himself. "I said do you feel that?"  
  
"Feel what?" Genma spoke without looking away from the shogi board.  
  
"I don't know... like there's some kind of change in the air... or something important is happening... do you not feel it?"  
  
Genma paused before slowly looking at Soun in the face with an unreadable expression...  
  
"Nope, nothing." and turn back to the board.  
  
Nabiki and Kasumi facefaulted at the exchange from the kitchen entrance.  
  
*****  
  
"This place is so big. How am I supposed to find anyone in here... hey, is that an indoors swimming pool? Wow it is!" Kaori peered into the clear blue water. "Maybe I should do a little reconnaissance around the area before heading for Ranko. I wonder if they have a big screen T.V. and maybe some games..." And so Kaori continued her mission as cavalry for Ranma and Lee... sort of.  
  
*****  
  
Kicking the enraged man's hand again, Lee began to dodge the fast swings in lazy yet efficient movements. Ranma couldn't help but think of him as the animal his style was based on, Lee looked laid back but alert enough to strike at a moments notice. An overhead swing was sidestepped and the thrust that followed was yet again kicked away. As Lee continued to avoid Goro's sword, everyone else waited for him to eventually use the smaller blade in his hand.  
  
After a few more exchanges that followed the pattern of the first series, Lee only kicking the swordsman's hand when he couldn't dart out of the way, Ayame turned to Ranma in confusion.  
  
"I've never fought with Lee using weapons... however, as fighters raised at our school, we all were supposed to be trained to use most weapons at a adequate level. Lee's just putting on a show for everyone..." Ranma smirked.  
  
"You see how intent Daigo and his lady friends are watching Lee? There trying to get a feel for how he fights now, so Lee's just going to show off instead of fighting in his usual manner." Ranma's smiled grew bigger as Lee finally went for the finish.  
  
Seeing the look change on Ranma's face, Ayame quickly turned back to the fight.  
  
Goro swung his sword with abandon as he finally got within range for the perfect strike. He was caught off guard to say the least when his opponent simply smacked the sword out of his numb hands and connected with a high kick to the jaw.  
  
"What a moron. You really thought I was just running away from you and your sword the whole fight didn't you?" Lee looked disgusted at the man as he tossed the knife aside.  
  
"What are you talking about?" the man asked as he finally got his jaw working again and continued to massage his numb hand.  
  
"You kicked his right hand at specific points on almost each finger, numbing him and slowing down his attacks, and he never noticed... that's sort of pathetic really..." Ranma began to walk towards his unofficial partner.  
  
I  
  
*****  
  
Kaori was right about to take a bite out of the large sandwich that was suspiciously laid out on the kitchen table by a huge fridge when she heard voices from the adjacent room. Looking at the food in front of her then back to the door, she started for one direction before stopping and heading for the other. Eventually, she just grabbed the sandwich and ripped a piece off popping it into her mouth as she made her way to the large double doors.  
  
As she slowly and silently pushed them open, she peeked through the crack to see Lee and Ranma standing beside each other in conversation and a young girl not to far away. Further opening the door she noted a large older man laying on the floor, and three more people sitting at a large table. 'Must be the dining room' she idly thought.  
  
Stepping into the room, Kaori made her grand entrance. "Mmphff!" And almost choked on the sandwich in her mouth. She sported a sweatdrop when the room as one looked at her with raised eyebrows. Swallowing quickly, she once again tried to speak. "I.."  
  
"Goro! I hope you're not done already... I really would hate to think that I let weaklings join my group..." Daigo narrowed his eyes as his blonde assistant pulled out a whip.  
  
Growling, Goro rolled onto his feet to head for Lee and Ranma. "We really don't feel like wasting time..." Ranma spoke as he toed the knife on the ground before kicking it up and catching it. A second later Goro was once again laying on the ground, this time with a knife in his inner left thigh.  
  
Goro held back his cry of pain as he tried to keep himself from grabbing his injured leg.  
  
Turning away from the man, Ranma faced Daigo. "I believe it's my turn to fight... So what do say Daigo, ready for rematch I promised you all those years ago?"  
  
*****  
  
Shampoo held the crying Ukyo to herself as she tried to keep her own tears from falling. Ukyo had decided to take a small nap after training and not being able to get the technique down. Then the next thing Shampoo knew she was hearing sniffling coming from Ukyo's tent. It didn't take to long for Ukyo to tell Shampoo what was wrong. "It's okay Ukyo, I realized they weren't my real friends that day and now I'm better for it."  
  
"Still, when they turned their backs on you and laughed at you when they thought you weren't around and didn't know you were walking around in your cursed form..." Ukyo sobbed.  
  
"Yes, it did hurt, it hurt a lot, but I'm over it now..." Shampoo tried to console the young women.  
  
"You- you're lying." Ukyo slumped against her supporter.  
  
"That's true, but still you shouldn't be effected by it so much, it didn't hit me this bad." Shampoo admitted.  
  
"It's just that it reminds me of when I was young and my father got upset over what happen, and then the few girls I knew laughed at me..." Ukyo began to collect herself. "They were so mean and they didn't even pretend to hide the fact that they were laughing at me."  
  
"I know... I remember." Shampoo continued to hold Ukyo.  
  
Nodoka simply laid in her tent wondering if this was going to lead to happiness in the end, or forever stay following this path of emotional pain... either way the only person who could truly help the girls was Ranma in the end. 'It looks like Daigo won't be the only problem to be solved in Kyoto...'  
  
*****  
  
Akane sat with her arms around her knee's as she watched the fire. Ryouga wasn't too far away as he went through a kata to keep himself from getting rusty, and to avoid looking at Akane's defeated expression that seemed to be branded onto her face with their campfire she was staring at.  
  
"Ryouga... I'm not really getting any better am I?" Akane asked while still peering into the flames.  
  
"You've gotten a lot toughter..." Ryouga returned lamely.  
  
"I still can't get the breaking point, and I can't focus long enough to hold off my anger." Akane began rocking back and forth.  
  
Biting his lip, Ryouga sat close, but not close enough to touch, to Akane. Taking a moment to organize his words mentally, he spoke up. "Maybe it's the way we're trying to approach it... maybe trying to make you focus without getting angry is the wrong way. I mean I use my depression to focus right? Maybe we can use your anger to began to work on focusing."  
  
"You think that might help?" She unconsciously gave Ryouga the puppy dog eyes.  
  
"I don't know really, but we'll find out tomorrow right?" He smiled when Akane's face took on her usual expression of determination.  
  
"Right"  
  
*****  
  
Daigo simply looked towards the whimpering form of Goro then back to Ranma. "Nice throw, but why'd you go for the leg, we're in a battle not a challenge match. Continue to go so easy on those who come for your life and you will lose it. As a matter of fact, if you try to stay the martial artist that you claim to be then your next fight could very well be your last. But it won't be against me... Right Ayame?" Daigo looked at the pale girl.  
  
Ayame took a moment to peer at Kaori before turning to Ranma.  
  
"Very well, I hope to see the two of you in Kyoto alive and well, and of course ready to face me in true combat." Daigo stated the last point with a gaze towards Ranma.  
  
Ranma turned towards Daigo's retreating form as the scaled man began to walk with his two uniquely haired assistants. "You're not..." Ranma's reply was cut off when Ayame simple appeared before Ranma.  
  
"That girl didn't even walk..." Kaori whispered out.  
  
Ranma stared at the Tetsuya's murderer with a cold stare "So Ayame, you're going to stop me from going after Daigo?"  
  
the blue haired girl just smiled her insipid smile.  
  
Ranma took no stance as he stared at the young girl before him. 'Damn what is she? I feel no ki from her at all, I can't even see her chest moving from her breathing.'  
  
"Come on Ranko, move the scrawny girl out of the way! So what that she can do whatever the hell she just did to get in front of you, that red skinned guy is getting away!" Kaori shouted.  
  
Lee clenched his fist 'Ranma has no clue how to go about fighting someone as unusual as this girl. Damn it, I know something about her is tugging at the back of my mind, something I learned back at the school... If only I could remember it.'  
  
'She doesn't seem to even be perpared for me attacking her, nor to launch her own attack... She's just smiling at me like this is some kind of joke. I need to get past her, but she's just to unpredictable for me to simply try to haphazardly attack her...'  
  
"Would somebody do something!" Kaori pulled at her red hair.  
  
Ranma let out a low hiss as a red aura blossomed out of him, and a faint look of a tiger seemed to manifest itself above him for such a short moment that no one could truly say if they saw it or not...  
  
Kaori eeped and jumped behind Lee as she felt the energy on an almost physical level coming from Ranma.  
  
"No good. He can't intimidate the girl like that, she doesn't seem to have any state of being besides being serene or curious. Fear is definitely not a emotion this child will show." Lee placed his hands into his pockets appearing bored even though he was anything but.  
  
Kaori looked from Lee, to Ranma, then to Ayame, finally starting to get the feeling maybe the girl was more dangerous then she appeared.  
  
"I haven't truly figured it out yet, but for lack of a better term the figure before us is not human." Lee stated.  
  
"WHAT! She's some kind of alien?" Kaori gasped.  
  
"I wouldn't go that far." Ranma added in. "She definitely ain't normal though." Ranma fell into a basic defensive stance.  
  
I've been looking forward to this Ranko. I do hope you won't dissapoint me.  
  
Trying to hold back the animalistic urges of his incomplete cat-fist style, Ranma began to clench and unclench his fist as a red aura formed around each hand and finger.  
  
*****  
  
Daigo and his two companions entered the basement of the house. "Does Ranma stand a chance against Ayame?" the pink haired women asked.  
  
"Well... With him still not able to fully use the cat-fist I would have to say that he stands no chance of surviving against Ayame... however I would also say he stood no chance at his current level to defeat the prince of the musk and certainly not the king of Jusendo. So in the end I think Ranma will survive the fight but hopefully it'll open his eyes to the truth that as he is... he's nowhere ready for me." Daigo began to laugh. "I would imagine that at this very moment he's attacking her to no avail as his punches and kicks simply pass through her until she attacks him in kind, which will unceremoniously end the fight."  
  
They continued to descend the steps to the basement where they arrived to pick up the last person to go with them back to Kyoto.  
  
*****  
  
'I don't got time to waist here Daigo's getting away!' "Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Ranma cried as he rushed at the girl. Once he closed the distance he unloaded the attack.  
  
Everyone, including the bleeding Goro, gasped as Ranma's fists went through the girl appearing to come out her back. Ranma paused in his attack and stared stupidly at his fist that was sticking out of Ayame's side. He slowly looked from his fist to the face of his opponent. "Is this normal?" He asked.  
  
A punch to the face was the answer he received. "I don't quite know if that means yes or no..." Ranma commented as he picked himself up of the floor, rubbing his nose. "For such a skinny girl you sure pack a lot of power."  
  
Ranma charged in again with a jumping kick that passed through the girl, Ranma following, and into the wall. Grumbling to himself Ranma got up off the floor again. "Alright missy, let's see you handle this!" Ranma slightly bent his legs and pulled his arms to his side as he charged up a powerful mouka takabishi.  
  
"Interesting decision, I wonder if it'll work." Lee raised an eyebrow. Goro simply gaped and Kaori whistled at the amount of energy Ranma seemed to be gathering. As soon as Ranma let off with the attack Ayame's grin grew huge.  
  
the pigtailed teen blinked when his ki attack began to merge with the form of Ayame. "The hell?!"  
  
Lee's eyes grew big "Impossible!"  
  
Kaori looked at the sight and couldn't make out with exactly was transpiring before her "What. What's happening?" she asked frantically.  
  
Sneering Lee turned to her. "That THING is leeching off all of Ranko's ki... More than what is even near being safe levels!"  
  
The form of Ayame seemed to be taking in life as her pale complexion darkened into a normal hue, and her light blue hair took on a stronger color of blue. Eventually the no longer pale girl let out a scream and cut off her ki drain.  
  
"God, this is so much worse then Ms. Hinako's technique." Ranma got out through ragged breaths as he lay on the floor panting.  
  
"Oh no, with Ranko down the girl will kill him!" Kaori yelled to Lee.  
  
"No need to be so loud, I'm right beside you! Anyway I think Ayame is having trouble of her own."  
  
"Huh?" the redhead looked at the other girl. Ayame was holding her sides as if in pain. Wearily approaching the girl Lee and Kaori could barely make out her statement as over and over again in their heads.  
  
Almost as if arguing Ranma gasped out his state. "So... weak."  
  
Straightening up Ayame turned to Ranma. She doubled over in pain. And with that the young no longer quite so pale girl disappeared.  
  
Rolling onto his back, Ranma stared at the ceiling 'regain my ki? Can she really block me from gaining it the natural way...'  
  
Lee walked towards Goro "What the hell did the girl mean by him not being able to access his ki normally?"  
  
The swordsmen just laughed in the face of Lee's cold stare. Snorting Lee stepped on the knife still in the fools leg. "Argg! Alright, alright. Th- the girl's supposed to, agrrh, supposed to be able to" the man took a moment to let the sharp pain in his leg subside a little. "To do all kinds of crazy things with ki, but that's all I know. I swear."  
  
Lee gave him one last glare before stomping on the knife and walking away. "DAMN! you bastard..." the man trailed off in a whimper. Deciding not to give the intruders any more chances to inflict pain on him, Goro grit his teeth and yanked the knife out of his thigh.  
  
Kaori paid the clanging sound of the knife hitting the floor no attention. "Ranko, are you going to be okay?"  
  
"I... I don't know. Where the hell does someone go to unlock whatever that girl did to me? Without my ki, I still can defeat most people... but not fighters of the high caliber like the ones Daigo probably has with him." Ranma continued to look up, not really focusing his eyes on anything.  
  
"What about the Amazon elder? I pretty sure she knows a thing or two about weird techniques. If the phone here still works we can give her a call if you know the number, afterwords I'll call the local police to come and clear this place out and send help for our whimpering friend here..." Lee waved over at Goro's rocking form.  
  
"I'd love to call the old ghoul, mind giving me a hand up?" Ranma raised his arm to Lee. He grimaced when Lee unceremoniously yanked him to his fee. "Thanks." Ranma deadpanned.  
  
Lee walked back to the door in which they entered when Kaori called out. "I think I say a phone in the kitchen."  
  
Ranma's eyes got wide "A kitchen you say? Well we best check it out, right?" Ranma moved as fast as his injured body could go.  
  
"Doesn't take much to cheer him up..." Lee muttered under his breath as he followed, he put on a stoic face as his stomach grumbled.  
  
*****  
  
As Cologne prepared to call it a night she was surprised to hear her phone ring. Hopping onto the counter she whipped the phone off the receiver "Sorry but the Cat Cafe is closed for the next couple of weeks..." She paused as the other person spoke up. "Ranko? I'm sorry I don't... Ranma?! What have you gotten yourself into now?" Several more moments of listening. "Amazing... No I not happy about what's happened to you, but it is very impressive that someone could do something like that. He must be a truly strong master of ki to" Cologne's eye twitched as Ranma cut her off and explained things a bit more. "You're telling me a girl of 14 to 15 years in age was able to cut of your ki flow?" Shaking her head Cologne finally gave the information Ranma wanted "No I'm sorry I'm not that familiar with the technique and as such know of no cure for it." Cologne held the phone away from her ear as the loud voices came from the other end.  
  
"Oh before you go I think I should warn you, there are some acquaintances of yours on route to Kyoto as we speak..." Holding the phone a reasonable distance away again Cologne chuckled. "Good night Son-in-Law and Good Luck." With that the old ghoul hung up the phone.  
  
*****  
  
"Well?" Kaori asked from her place by the fridge. Lee simply raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"She couldn't help me, but she did give me some... interesting information. It would seem I will be having guests once I reach Kyoto." Ranma moved past Kaori to get a good look inside the fridge.  
  
"Oh that's right I meant to tell you, the piglet and the youngest Tendo are heading for Kyoto." Lee looked only midly embarrassed at the fact that he had not mentioned that fact to Ranma earlier.  
  
"I really should have guest those two would do something like that, I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of Nerima set out for Kyoto..." Ranma paused a moment to look for a handy piece of wood to knock on. 'Damn rich people, everything's marble and glass with them! Oh well it's just a silly superstition, I don't need to knock on wood to keep the others from coming.' However Ranma couldn't shake the feeling that he had just cursed his fate.  
  
*****  
  
Several sneezes later...  
  
Ukyo laid in her sleeping bag berating herself for showing Shampoo her weakness like that. 'Even more reason for that Amazon to think she's better than me.'  
  
Shampoo likewise was scolding herself for her actions. 'Ukyo is your rival! You should be throwing this back in her face... not making friends with her. But with that stupid technique Grandmother gave me can I really be blamed for my concern? As a Amazon I should not show compassion like this to an enemy, but if I don't become close to Ukyo and not give in to the Amazon technique... then it will be proven to be a weak and flawed tactic afterall... I'll just sleep on it." Shampoo huffed than laid down for hopefully a dreamless slumber.  
  
*****  
  
"Ryouga? Tell me about some of the training trips you've been on, Ranma never really tells us anything about himself until it comes and bites him in the butt." Akane scowled a little.  
  
"Um well, there's not much to tell..." Ryouga staring stabbing the fire with a stick.  
  
"Come on, you go on lot's of training trips I'm sure you meet lot's of interesting people and see all kinds of strange things... I wish I could go on training trips more often."  
  
"It's fun sometimes. But I'd much rather be able to stay in one place for a long time. I mean your home is more of a home to me than mine is. Everyone in Nerima is like a part of my family now. Well except for Ranma he's like the annoying neighbor next door that just get's on your nerves..." Ryouga broke the twig in his hands. "Sorry."  
  
"But I though you and Ranma were friends..." Akane replied.  
  
Ryouga stared at her 'She really believes that.' "But me and Ranma fight all the time!"  
  
"Me and Nabiki fight all the time, But we still love each other." Akane shrugged.  
  
"It's different with me and Ranma. We're rivals, not quite true enemies but not friends either..." Ryouga stared into the fire.  
  
"Do you have any friends Ryouga?" Akane asked him.  
  
"Only you Akane." Ryouga stared at her for what seemed like forever to him. Akane just stared back at him with her innocent look. Letting out a breath he turned back to the fire. 'Why can't I just tell her.'  
  
"So Ryouga come on tell me about your travels..."  
  
"Alright"  
  
*****  
  
Ranma, Kaori, and Lee stood near the camp they had used the night prior to help out Shinji's family.  
  
"Things sure are going to be weird around here for a while..." Kaori commented as she watched the townspeople avert their eyes from Shinji's parents and Sachiko.  
  
"I guess so. But we have better things to concern ourselves with." Lee turned away from the scene. "I've got to talk with Yamaguchi, and You have to find a way to get back your ki abilities... not to mention mastering your style." Lee bore his eyes into Ranma.  
  
"I don't need you to tell me that." Ranma stared back at Lee.  
  
"I didn't think you did, but it never hurts to make sure."  
  
"I wouldn't be to sure of that..." Ranma trailed off as Lee walked away.  
  
Kaori watched as Lee walked among the throngs of people and police that littered the streets before turning back to Ranma. "Um I guess we should be heading for Kyoto. I'm sure someone there might know about how to cure you. After all with all the different fighting styles in Kyoto now since the school of the fang was tore down there's plenty of people with obscure knowledge. Not only that there's this new doctor, well he was new when I left... anyway he was really good and people said he was a great martial artist with lots of knowledge about odd stuff. Hmm, what was his name... Todo, Toto, Toshu, Tofu, Tol- Tofu! that's right Doctor Tofu. He's supposed to be really good."  
  
"Ono Tofu? He's in Kyoto? Alright! he was almost as knowledgeable as the old ghoul. Hopefully he can help me. Well Kaori I guess it's time that we started back to Kyoto." Ranma smiled.  
  
"Yep, and who knows maybe Ranma will be there."  
  
"Maybe..."  
  
*****  
  
"He survived then." Daigo smiled.  
  
"That's alright. I actually hoped he would be able to make it through the fight without bowing out. He truly is as good as the rumors say, but I want him better." Daigo eyes glinted as he turned to the window of the car his assistant was driving him in.  
  
Ayame questioned.  
  
Turning to her form, Daigo smirked "Ayame it's time for the band to come together once more."  
  
His pink haired assistant gasped from the front passenger seat beside her blonde counterpart. "Daigo?! Do you really think it's necessary to have them all in one place like that? Just for the boy?"  
  
Daigo grin was from ear to ear. "You don't quite see all the players that are joining our game. We're going to be facing more than just Ranma. Lee and other less known fighters are going to be opposing us."  
  
I Ayame placed a finger in her chin in thought. She looked at Daigo and smiled.  
  
"Yes, that's right Ayame, the real reason I want the band of the fang back together is to push Ranma over the edge and back onto the path of blood and death. I want to bring back the true vicious nature the boy was capable of, the person many masters at the school feared he'd become... Ranma Saotome the deadliest master of the Cat Fist!"  
  
*****  
  
To be Continued  
  
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